Lawsuits make changes to laws every month. By partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) your company can be protected from these changes.

"A lawsuit against IBM may help settle the question of whether workers hooked on the Internet can claim a legitimate addiction." Do you know what new laws are affecting your business? Articles like the one provided below can be scary for employers and are what a PEO- Professional Employer Organization looks out for. A PEO needs to know what changes are going to be made to laws such as American with Disabilities Act, Cobra and Family Medical Leave Act. A PEO will notify it’s clients of changes to such laws and provide guidance to employers on any work place policy changes that need to be made. With out a PEO providing guidance many employers do not learn about changes until it is to late.  With the larger Human Resources department of a PEO they are constantly looking at how new laws and regulations effect employers.

If you do not have a Human Resource Department or want your HR Department to focus on developing your internal employee skills contact a PEO. To learn more about StaffScapes call 303-466-7864

See Also

• Work place internet abuse
  MSN moneycentral article

Senator Chris Dodd (Democrat-CT) plans to ammend the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide six weeks of paid leave.

“Washington- Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), author of the landmark Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which has enable approximately 50 million Americans take leave from their jobs for the birth or adoption of a child, and in order to care for themselves, their children or an immediate family member, today announced legislation, which he will introduce in the coming weeks, to provide paid leave for employees. Sen. Dodd’s bill would also expand the number of individuals eligible for FMLA. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), has announced his intentions to co-sponsor Sen. Dodd’s legislation.”

See Senator Dodd’s website below for more information. StaffScapes, Inc. will follow his revision to the FMLA as it moves through the Senate and House sub-committees.

See Also

• Senator Dodd (D-Ct)
  FMLA

Payroll accuracies are a simple requirement from all clients that hire the services of a Professional Employer Organization or payroll company.

During a recent interview with an employee that worked at one of the largest PEO’s in the nation he expressed amazement that we double check each payroll before delivery to clients. The company he worked for could not get payroll done correctly and was a big issue for his clients. As a regional PEO based in Colorado we are hired by employers to help them overcome a myriad of employment problems. Human resources are a large concern for bigger employers along with the potential pitfalls if an employer misses an HR deadline with requirements such as COBRA or FMLA. Other employers need a method to control cost and look at safety and workers compensation and what a PEO may do for them in that area. But the backbone to all HR, Workers compensation, Safety programs or employee benefits is payroll. If a company cannot provide accurate payroll how good will they be on other issues of employment. By having a second set of eyes review payroll before it leaves our offices it makes for a very happy clientele on payday. The employees are happy on payday and in turn so is the employer on payday.

If your payroll is not accurate give StaffScapes a call we may have a solution for you.

PS: did you remember to adjust your employee wages for the new minimum wage rate change?

The US DOL responds to the requested comments on the FMLA.

After a long and much anticipated wait, the US Department of Labor responded to the public comments that it requested concerning the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Included in the 161-page report was the DOL’s statement that the report does not signal any forthcoming regulatory changes.  So what does the report contain?  Apparently a very large amount of comments received from employers and HR practitioners concerning the problems and difficulties of managing the current version of the FMLA. 

For the time being, administration of FMLA should continue as is, with all of its pitfalls.  However, we suggest that everyone pay specific attention to their states. Just because the federal government is not taking steps to change does not mean that individual states won’t.

Admended FMLA effective 1/28/08

On January 28, 2008 President Bush amended the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993(FMLA) to permit a "spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin" to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a "member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness."  The new law effective January 28, 2008.

StaffScapes will be sending out the new FMLA poster as soon as it is available.

Please contact StaffScapes regarding more information on this admended law or assistance with tracking FMLA leave.  StaffScapes is a PEO providing Payroll and HR services to businesses.  Please contact us at 303-466-7864.

A revised FMLA poster is now available.

A revised Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) poster, reflecting the recently published final rule, is now available for viewing and downloading. Every employer covered by the FMLA is required to post and keep posted on its premises, in conspicuous places where employees are employed, a notice explaining the Act’s provisions. The revision to the FMLA and the new poster becomes effective on January 16, 2009.

The poster can be downloaded at: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/finalrule/FMLAPoster.pdf

Additional information and materials can be viewed at the DOL’s FMLA website at: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/finalrule.htm

You probably walk by it everyday.  That wall in the break room that is covered with posters.  Posters that you probably never look at.  Posters that may not have been updated since parachute pants were popular.  Many businesses do not know what is required of them and many do not know the degree of fines that could be leveled upon them if they are not compliant. 

Did you know that posters must be visible in a common area where employees will visit frequently?  For example, the break room or by the time clock.  If your business has multiple locations or operates on several floors, each requires their own set of posters to be easily viewed and accessible.  Where applicants apply for employment, the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act),  EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity), and EPPA (Employee Polygraph Protection Act) posters are required to be posted as well.

What about other languages in addition to English?  Posters are not required to be in another language unless your business employs a non-English speaking workforce.

What are some of the fines for not having or not updating required posters and not adhereing to their policies?

*Fines from $100 to $70,000 depending on the infraction.
*Not posting the OSHA Job Safety & Health poster can get you a fine of up to $70,000.
*Federal FMLA non-compliance gets you a fine of $100 per offense.
*Violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, (Minimum Wage) are up to $10,000 per violation. 
*Violations of the Employee Polygraph Protection Act could result in you having to appear in court and pay a penalty of up to $10,000 per violation.

Can you afford to not be compliant?  Here at StaffScapes, one of the benefits that we provide our clients include a packet of all required posters as well as updates mailed as soon as new laws are passed that dictate changes.  You know, the changes you planned to make but never did.  Now, with StaffScapes, you don’t have to worry about it.

For an updated list of all required posters, including the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), FMLA (Employee Rights and Responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act) and the EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law), please view the following links for Federal and State of Colorado Requirements.

For further assistance or more information, please contact StaffScapes, Inc. at 303-466-7864 or info@StaffScapes.com.