November 2005
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TWO WAYS TO HELP YOUR EMPLOYEES HELP THEMSELVES Employment Assistance Programs Today’s employers face more workforce challenges than ever — many of them because of problems that employees face in their personal lives. Employee Assistance Programs can help. EAPs provide counseling for such issues as relationship concerns, family problems, stress, workplace problems, and alcohol/chemical dependency. These programs also offer consultation and information for such “life-management issues” as financial concerns, finding providers for child or elder care, tax issues, legal advice, organizing personal affairs, and pre-retirement planning. The information that employees share with an EAP is strictly confidential and not shared with the employer. Dependent Care Service Providers Increasing demand for child and elder care has triggered the development of “Dependent Care Services Providers.” These firms help employers take advantage of Internal Revenue Code Section 125, which provides a tax-advantaged method for employees to pay out-of-pocket health care and dependent day care expenses. The current IRS limit for this benefit is approximately $5,000. A Business Insurance survey lists the top dependent care providers: Ceridian (www.ceridian.com), Child & Elder Care Insights Inc. (www.carereports.com), Work/Life Benefits (www.wlb.com), and LifeCare Inc. (www.lifecare.com). There’s plenty of help available for your employees — and you. EAPs and Dependent Care Services Providers will be happy to share the costs and benefits of their services.
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UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS: FIGHT BACK! Many employers don’t take advantage of the defenses available to them against unemployment claims, often because they don’t wish to engage in conflict with a previous employee. Claimants might be ineligible for benefits if:
The more unemployment claims you have, the more you pay for the insurance. These claims are often precursors to larger employment practices claims. Not contesting a claim when you should have, or in the way you should have, can expose you to further liabilities. If you intend to contest a claim and are concerned about the employee potentially filing other claims, you’d be wise to obtain legal representation. Don’t take unemployment claims for granted. If you’re a good employer dealing with an unemployment claim filed by someone who quit the job or engaged in misconduct, fight for your rights! |
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The HR That Works office and my home are located in Palm Beach County. Wilma took a definite toll on our work and personal lives. Unless you have been through such a disaster, it is hard to fully appreciate the financial and emotional impact of such an event. Fortunately, all those people I know at work and home are ok, even if their businesses, homes or communities are not.
More and more employers are discovering the advantages of helping employees through rough times. Employment Assistance Programs (EAPs) and Dependent Care Services can provide unique value-added benefits for both you and your employees.
Few employers take unemployment claims seriously enough. Employers pay FUTA and SUTA unemployment tax rates ranging from .1% to more than 5% of an employee’s wages in a calendar year. Employees have to earn a minimum amount in a year to qualify for benefits. Claimants must usually work for a week before they can collect benefits, which are equal to a percentage of their wages (with both a benefit minimum and maximum).
HR That Works users, mark your calendars for November 10th at 2:00 p.m. EST. Our guest will be “There is no justifying a bad habit” Don Phin, |
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We’ve also provided hyperlinks to the FORM OF THE MONTH. |
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MEETING OF THE MINDS Let’s say you’ve set a goal for your company to be No. 1 in its field and created a mental picture of what that means. The problem is that you tend to project this image onto others, as if their brains, emotions, and experiences are exactly like yours. If you asked another person what image the words you used to describe your goal painted in their mind, the two of you might picture yourselves on totally different planets. Here’s an exercise to help you share mind maps with others: Take a stack of trade publications and Fast Company, Fortune, and Inc. magazines. Spread them out on a big table and then share your goals for the company. Ask the others present to tear out the articles and pictures that are closest to the images your goals represent in their mind. You’ll see the distinctions immediately. Then use those images like an architect to build your company’s future. |
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The same principle applies to employee motivation. For example, annual bonuses have only a minimal impact because workers usually spend them by mid-January. If the point of a bonus is to make employees feel good about working for you, why not spread the cheer throughout the year? Take a hard look at your employee handbooks and other internal publications. Put them side by side with marketing materials for customers or clients and you’ll readily see how we often treat third-party relationships better than the ones under our own roofs. Make documents such as your employee handbook pleasurable to look at. Include graphics, workplace photos, and color to brighten your message. Professional marketers are constantly testing, refining, and monitoring consumer responses to various marketing techniques. Follow their lead in dealing with employees
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HIRING PROCESS Letting job applicants know your hiring process in advance can save a lot of time and effort. Use this form to do just that!
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The information presented here is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Due to local and state laws and ordinances, an individual article might not apply in every jurisdiction. For more information on the contents of this newsletter, please e-mail or give us a call. © Employer Advisors Network, Inc. 2008 |
Despite the fact that other people don’t think, act, or feel exactly the way we do, we often react as if they do. Because each person is unique, it’s essential for managers to seek common references or “mind maps” when communicating.
Effective marketing requires building one-on-one relationships with customers and clients. Experts tell us that it takes at least seven contacts with someone until they begin trusting a marketing message. Given today’s information overload, “fire-hosing” a prospect or customer with a one-time, big-shot marketing message just doesn’t work anymore.