How to Behave Around California’s Salary History Ban
It can be tough keeping up with all of the changes coming out of Washington and Sacramento; it seems every hour there’s an announcement on new or modified regulations in the workplace. On January 1st, 2018, California unveiled a new law prohibiting employers from using an individual’s prior salary as a factor in setting pay rates. This law extends to public and private employers, as well as their agents, and it mandates that employers may not seek any information about an applicant’s current or past “compensation and benefits.” That’s right. California’s salary history ban makes it illegal for employers to [...]
Unlimited PTO
Unlimited Time Off? Seriously? Often, we look to innovation leaders for insight and creative solutions on how to implement new policies within the workplace. We borrow some of these ideas when change is necessary in our own organization, such as offering telecommute options, employee perks, referral programs…and the list goes on. Staying relevant in today’s market is a tough job for any employer, and now that employees are being offered flexible and remote work options, , snack machines, gym memberships, meditation and yoga classes on-site, how do the smaller companies keep up? How do you attract the type of employee [...]
Balance Billing: Out of Network Coverage and What It Means To You
On July 1 Sacramento kicked a surprise ball past the goalie and I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about it, because this affects all of us. As an insider in the insurance industry we’ve been dealing with this problem for years (and if you know me I’ve been ranting about this on our blog since 2014). What am I talking about? AB 72 – Balance Billing: Out of Network Coverage. […]
Compensation Technology Tools
Narrowing the gender pay gap is a hot topic these days. One of the ways to combat wage inequity is through banning the salary history question most candidates are faced with. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico are states that passed laws banning salary history. Cities like New York and Philadelphia have followed suit. More so now, recruitment teams must rely on software applications to provide real-time and market-driven view of compensation. […]
Flexible Work Options as an Attraction Tool
How does telecommuting enable you to snag the best talent? What are the pros & cons? I have been working as a remote employee since 2006. Presented with an opportunity to build a human resources department from the ground up whilst juggling twins, I leapt at the chance to build my career while still being a mom. […]
Bridging the Generation Gap
With the Greatest Generation (or “Traditionalists”), Baby Boomers, Generations X and Y, Millennials, and Linksters (or “Generation Z”) all snuggled up together in the workplace, it’s bound to be anything but boring! For the first time in history, 6 different generations must come together in the workforce. Diversity is strength but with so many different work styles jumbled together, it comes as no surprise that this is one of the biggest challenges facing companies today. Here are a few things to consider when managing the Generation Gap in your organization. The biggest mistake companies make? Pretending the gap doesn’t exist [...]
Health Reimbursement Plans: How the New Law Affects Your Small Business
The 21st Century Cures Act, signed into law by President Obama on Dec. 13, 2016, will now allow small employers to offer standalone health reimbursement arrangements that may reimburse individual market insurance premiums, among other types of medical expenses. This law took effect on January 1, 2017, and is a big change for small employers who were previously not allowed to offer such benefits unless the employee participated in a group health plan provided by the employer. By giving small employers more options when it comes to health benefits for their employees, President Obama has allowed these employers to create [...]
Total Rewards: What Speaks to Your Employees?
When coming up with a total rewards plan for your organization, make sure you consider several things. You want to make sure that you are offering your employees things that they really want. A great way to find out what this might be is to conduct an employee survey, assess your company culture, and find out what makes your employees happy. Not all rewards will motivate all employees in a similar way, but by examining the workforce you are employing, and taking a survey of what makes them feel valued, you can make the right steps in the coming year [...]
Final Overtime Ruling: How Does It Affect Your Business?
The final overtime ruling was issued back in May of this year by the federal government regarding salary requirements for exemption status. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees is based on a minimum salary requirement (among other factors such as time spent on certain tasks, managing others, and much more). Usually, California labor law is more generous to employees than the federal law, but as it stands now, the federal law is actually more substantial. Which means California employers must follow the federal standards of $913 per week or $47,476 per [...]
Show Me the Money! Minimum Wage Laws in Your City
Conducting periodic reviews of the wage that you pay to your employees is always a good idea. We suggest setting up a regular salary schedule review period for different categories of workers (administrative employee salary reviews in 2017, general labor positions reviewed in 2018, etc.) to make sure that everyone is addressed in a timely and efficient manner. The first step in this review is to make sure that all employees are at and above the current state minimum wage. So to get started, find out what the minimum wage is in your state by following this link: https://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm. [...]