The good news about healthcare costs in the United States is that they have decreased from 6-7% per year to just around 4%. The bad news is that health care costs continue to rise faster than workers’ incomes. For small businesses, this is a recipe for disaster. They are caught between increased costs for employer-sponsored […]
Read MoreThe inclusion of older employees in the workforce benefits companies, the economy, and the employees themselves. More people are choosing to work later in life, sometimes to delay retirement and boost their Social Security check. Often, however, mature workers choose work as a means to remain engaged and relevant. Contributions of Mature Employees Hiring, training, […]
Read MoreA major topic of discussion in the business community is work-life balance. Business owners are concerned about this issue because they do not want quality employees to burn out; employees are concerned about this issue because they want to have meaningful personal lives, as well as purposeful jobs. The younger generations, in particular, actively pursue […]
Read MoreMost of us have been exposed over the years to discussions in the media around the issue of diversity. The concept is applied to most of the structures of our society — schools, employers, governmental bodies, and so on. For businesses, the interest in diversity stems largely from legal mandates such as the federal Civil […]
Read MoreToday, we live in a truly global economy, so much so that it is often natural to consider expanding by doing business overseas. The Internet helps make this quicker and easier than ever before. Before moving to global operations, however, it is important to consider how that decision will affect marketing, shipping and delivery, tax, […]
Read MoreThere’s been a lot of hullabaloo in recent years over the “after-action review.” The general concept is that after you’ve weathered a major event, you reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of how your company performed. The goal is to improve your performance in similar events in the future. Some businesses expand on this concept […]
Read MoreOne facet of the Affordable Care Act is specific benefit requirements that have to be offered by small businesses (those with 50 or fewer employees). These requirements were scheduled to begin applying to employers with up to 100 employees on January 1, 2016. Business leaders were concerned, however, this change would result in substantially increased […]
Read MoreThis time of year, it’s a big question for all employers. Where do year-end bonuses for team members fit into the business? You may be facing a year-end cash slump or big expenses. Or, you may have a bunch of cash on hand and be facing a big tax bill. Assessing the reality of your […]
Read MoreAs union membership continues to fall nationwide, the NLRB seems to be more closely monitoring company employment practices and policies. The Board is on the lookout for policies that could deter non-union employees from engaging in activities protected by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act. What is Section 7? Section 7 protects employee […]
Read MoreNo employer wants to conduct a workplace investigation. But investigating an employee may become necessary to limit the company’s liability exposure, comply with legal requirements, maintain discipline, or protect other employees. And if you have to conduct a workplace investigation, you may think it should be kept confidential. After all, how many times have you […]
Read MoreIn our world of electronic communication, your business needs to be prepared to handle a major risk of litigation in which you could be responsible to produce records, reports and data from your computer network and systems. Electronic discovery could cost your business tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, if you are sued. […]
Read More