Allowing employees the flexibility of a remote work arrangement is a rapidly increasing reality that is welcome by most employees. When creating the option, you should establish criteria (i.e., advanced approval, job duties that can be performed remotely, good job performance, etc.) and expectations (i.e., required hours of availability, performance standards, dependable and secure internet, video, and phone connections, a quiet and secure place to work, etc.). Explain these to the employee and make sure they understand them as well as the repercussions if they fail to maintain them.

You should also leave yourself the option to rescind or revise any work arrangement, including remote. If an employee is no longer meeting the criteria and/or expectations, then review the arrangement, explain your concerns and what will happen if they cannot abide by the agreement. This becomes even more urgent if operations suffer, data integrity is compromised or legal exposure is increased.

The Workplace Advisors is BSCAI's endorsed HR partner, providing HR support, recruiting, coaching, compensation and employee engagement services.  For a link to our menu of services for BSCAI members, go to www.TheWorkplaceAdvisors.com/BSCAI

If employment is at-will, the company has the right to change most policies at any time. Employees are expected to follow the policies of the company as long as they are legal. While it is best practice to have signed acknowledgement forms for handbooks in each employee's file, it is not required to enforce those policies.

However, if an employee has been given multiple chances to return the acknowledgement form and/or to discuss concerns, they are still expected to follow the updated handbook. You should document in writing that the employee is expected to follow all policies of the company including those in the new handbook and their failure to return the acknowledgement does not change that requirement. Then put that document and any response into their employee file.

The Workplace Advisors is BSCAI's endorsed HR partner, providing HR support, recruiting and employee engagement services.  For a link to our menu of services for BSCAI members, go to www.TheWorkplaceAdvisors.com/BSCAI

You can run a background check on an independent contractor, especially if the contractor will have access to sensitive materials or if the nature of the work requires a clean background check. You can also make the contract contingent on the results of this background check.

It's crucial to ensure that you are classifying the worker correctly. Many independent contractors might be considered employees if the Department of Labor (DOL) were to investigate the work relationship. To verify proper classification, refer to the DOL’s fact sheet on Independent Contractor classifications here.

The Workplace Advisors is BSCAI's endorsed HR partner, providing HR support, recruiting and employee engagement services.  For a link to our menu of services for BSCAI members, go to www.TheWorkplaceAdvisors.com/BSCAI

If you plan to pay your interns at least minimum wage, you’re in good shape. If, however, you are planning to offer an unpaid internship, there are a few things you should consider.

Federal and state governments are cracking down on the use of unpaid interns, arguing that not paying interns for their labor violates the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). 

Even if you and your intern agree that the work experience is sufficient compensation for the labor, you must satisfy the requirements for it to be “bona fide” and thus qualify as an unpaid internship. 

You may be subject to wage and hour penalties and back wages under the FLSA if you fail to pay your summer interns appropriately.

The Wage and Hour Division of the US Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #71 offers help for determining whether your intern is entitled to minimum wage or overtime pay and can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/71-flsa-internships

For the record, we are strong proponents of internships, particularly as a means of identifying and developing new talent and future employees.  Good luck!

The Workplace Advisors is BSCAI's endorsed HR partner, providing HR support, recruiting and employee engagement services. For a link to our menu of services for BSCAI members, go to www.TheWorkplaceAdvisors.com/BSCAI

It's common to prioritize corrective feedback, but neglect positive reinforcement, which is equally crucial. One effective technique is the Ten Penny Challenge. Ask managers to put 10 pennies in their right-hand pockets. Tell them that their goal is to give their direct reports positive feedback. Each time they do so, they place one penny from their right-hand pocket into their left pocket. At the end of each day, the expectation is that they will have worked all of the 10 pennies from their right pocket into their left one, thereby encouraging them to focus on giving positive, supportive, and effective feedback to employees.

The Workplace Advisors is BSCAI's endorsed HR partner, providing HR support, recruiting and employee engagement services. For a link to our menu of services for BSCAI members, go to www.TheWorkplaceAdvisors.com/BSCAI