How to Lawfully Terminate Employees

There are two types of terminations: voluntary and involuntary.

Voluntary termination is an employee resignation for another job, personal reasons, retirement, etc.

Involuntary termination is initiated by the employer to terminate the employee’s employment.

Reasons for involuntary termination can be unsatisfactory performance, layoff and misconduct (violations of employers code of ethics, conduct, policies, practices and/or rules).

It is essential that all companies and managers know the appropriate federal and state employment laws that could affect terminating employees.

Follow your employer policies and procedures in your handbook.

(Call us ASAP if you don’t have a handbook!!)

10-10-10 What is it?

March 2010 is the month when the Census will contact each home via mail and ask 10 questions regarding each household. The Census is conducted every 10 years, 2010 and has 10 questions to ask; therefore 10-10-10.

Please respond by mail to the census!

If you do not respond census takers will come to your home in hopes of getting the necessary information in April. The census is critical for collecting pertinent demographic information that allows for funding for schools, hospitals, fire stations, etc.

Federal law protects your identity and the answers you give:

February Newsletter

Check out the online version of our February Newsletter:

The True Cost of Office Romance!

Happy Valentines Day!!

The Importance of Exit Interviews

Exit interviews are important to gather critical information about morale, management practices, salaries, etc. Ask questions such as:

1. Why are you leaving?

2. What did you like most and least about the job?

3. Did the job give you opportunities to make adequate use of your skills and abilities?

4. How do you feel about your salary and company salary structure? Were you paid fairly?

5. How do you feel about the company’s benefits and programs?

6. What did you think about the performance management process? Did you know where your performance stood in the eyes of your supervisor?

HR Lunch and Learn Feb. 24th

On February 24, 2010 I’ll be teaching a Lunch ‘N Learn at the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center titled:

HR Essentials for Small Business Owners. What YOU need to know to avoid fines and maintain compliance!

During this hour and a half seminar we will cover the following topics:

* What are the ILLEGAL interview questions I can’t ask applicants?

* How can having an Employee Handbook protect my company?

* Which laws must my company comply with to avoid fines?

* Are my workers Independent Contractors or Employees?

* What do I need to know about unemployment claims?

5 New Year Resolutions Every Employer Should Keep in 2010

With the start of this new year I want to share with you five things all employers should do to help protect their businesses and stay in compliance with the law:

1) Update your job descriptions to include the new ADAAA provisions and ensure proper FLSA (exempt/hourly) status.

2) Update your Employee Handbooks to include the Ledbetter Law, new FMLA Military Leave, ADAAA and GINA (the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act).

3) Update your federal posters to include GINA and new FMLA (mandated by the Federal Government on 11/21/09).

Obama signs new law extending COBRA subsidy and Unemployment Insurance

President Obama signed this bill into law on 12/19/2009 (P.L. No:111-118). This federal spending bill includes two important provisions:

1. Extended and expanded the COBRA subsidy program enacted under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This expands the COBRA premium subsidy period to employees who were/or are involuntarily terminated on or before 2/28/10. Employers who have affected employees will pay the 65% subsidy for employees COBRA payments and employees will only need to pay 35% of their COBRA coverage. The COBRA premium subsidy is extended from 9 months to 15 months and employers must notify the affected terminated employees.

Unemployment, the IRS and Office No-nos

Check out the  online version of our December newsletter.

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IRS Announces 2010 Standard Mileage Rates and Publishes new W-4

The Internal Revenue Service has provided the following guidance for 2010 regarding standard mileage for various expenditures.

These new rates are lower than the allowance given in 2009!!

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2010, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

• 50 cents per mile for business miles driven
• 16.5 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

U.S. Employee Health Is Declining! Are you ready for Rising Costs?

Although health care is at the top of the domestic agenda we see the health of the U.S. workforce declining!

According to a report released by the Families and Work Institute (FWI) on September 22, 2009, both employers and workers must pay attention to how they can promote better health.

Sadly, overall U.S. health has declined in all income levels according to “The State of Health in the American Workforce.” Employees are experiencing more physical and mental stress levels in their daily working time. The research found the following:

• 62% of employees are overweight or obese.