Importance of Background Checks

StaffScapes is please to announce their new partnership is Choice Screening.  Choice Screening is their new Background Check provider.

• One in 10 applicants have a criminal background.
• Up to 60 percent of applicants lie or misrepresent their backgrounds on resumes and 9 percent of job applicants falsely claim to have a college degree, list false employers, or identify jobs they never held. 
•  As many as 30 percent of job seekers exaggerate their accomplishments or past employment.

Background checks are a critical step in the hiring process.  They provide insight into an applicant’s character, honesty, and integrity, as well as discovering any past illegal activity.  They effectively assist employers, guarding against potential negligent hiring lawsuits, as well as provide assurance of a more secure, safe workplace.

By working with Choice Screening – StaffScapes can offer

• Convenient customized packages or individual services.
•  Accurate and timely reports at less than normal costs.
•  Compliance with State and Federal Fair Credit Reporting (FCRA) guidelines.

Contact StaffScapes Payroll Department at 303-466-7864 to discuss how background screens can improve your business.  Information provided by Choice Screening.

Tips on becoming Green

Going Green is a common phrase you might hear in meetings or at the water cooler.  StaffScapes has also implemented ways to go Green or become “greener.” We have converted processes to a paperless office, recycle toner cartridges and recycle aluminum, plastic and glass, as some of the few ways we have gone Green.

Some suggestions from the PayTech issue April 2009 article “The Color of Money; Payrolls Nationwide Going Green”  :

• Go Paperless – use direct deposit, paycards, online paystubs and W-2’s
• Order recycled paper
• Recycle toner cartridges
• Use energy-efficient light bulbs
• Turn off lights when not using them
• Recycle soda cans
• Use filtered water instead of bottled water

There are easy ways to participate or start a program and save your company money while saving the environment. 

Safety Matters, Safety meetings

StaffScapes, Inc. encourages safety for our clients and our employees.  Each month StaffScapes sends out “Safety Matters,” a newsletter to provide awareness of safety issues to you and your employees.  By sharing this information with employees you are creating a safer work environment and reducing the risk of non-productive employees. 

“Safety Matters” encompasses a number of safety related issues.  Although some of the topics may not seem relevant to your business, it gives the employees exposure to issues they may face off the job as well.  Safety meeting compliance can help reduce overall worker compensation costs from an injured employee. 

As you conduct your monthly safety meetings, please have all employees read “Safety Matter” newsletters and sign the safety meeting sign in sheet.  Please return the sign in sheet by fax 303-466-7947 or mail to StaffScapes, Inc.  If there are any questions or concerns please call me at 303-466-7864. 

Contact StaffScapes today if you did not receive your monthly Safety Matters Newsletter.

School Supply Drive

Lora Manternach PHR CPP, is a member of the Denver Chapter Payroll Association and is a volunteer on the Community Service Committee.  One of the projects that she organized is the School Supply Drive.  DCPA raised over $300 in school supplies for Barnum Elementary School. 

Thanks to all the members of DCPA for their support.  This was a great experience to be a part of. 

How does reviewing past claims help my business save money with Workers Compensation Insurance?

Today StaffScapes is meeting with representatives from Pinnacol Assurance to review past claim history. This is a very valuable tool for all for all business that have had workers compensation claims. By reviewing claims a business is able to see trends that a supervisor of a department may not notice because of all the other jobs a person is doing. Many times a review will allow a company to look at history and just not at today’s work and what is going on.

When you review claims you can also target claims to learn who was using safety equipment and who was not and compare similar claims and the cost associated with it. We have a small manufacture with 50 or so employees that kept having small eye injuries. Most of the employee did not bother to where the safety glasses when cutting parts and this was the leading cause of injury. After further review we noticed many employee had been using the proper safety equipment and still employees where getting hurt. Material was flying in behind the glasses or around the edge of the traditional safety glasses. By changing the type of glasses used we where able to cut injuries down the fowling year. By not reviewing the claims with the client this type of injury could lead to a very expensive claim or much worse someone losing site because of a work related injury. 

If you have any type of ongoing injury you should be siting down with your workers compensation provider or your Professional employer Organization (PEO) and do a claims review. During this claim review you should also question open claims to be sure that all cost saving measures are being looked at.

To learn more about safety programs, loss prevention and ways to reduce your Workers Compensation Liability contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864 .

New Posters

Effective November 21, 2009 ALL employers are required to post the new Equal Employer Opportunity Poster.  This notice now includes Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008(GINA), which prohibits genetic information discrimination in employment.

Effective January 1, 2010 all Colorado employers are required to post the new Colorado Minimum Wage Order Poster. This notice explains what rights and protections employees have under the Colorado Minimum Wage Order, including minimum wage, work periods and overtime.  If you have any questions regarding the application of this Order please contact StaffScapes. 

This year there was a reduction in the Colorado State Minimum wage to $7.24 per hour.  Since the Federal Minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is greater, $7.25 will be the rate that must be used as minimum pay.

StaffScapes provides clients with all of your required posters, and notification of these changes.  If you have any questions or need posters please contact Lora Manternach at 303-466-7864.

It’s everywhere.  Every day you probably follow a group, friend someone you haven’t talked to in 15 years, tweet that your newest video is posted on You Tube TM and make sure that you are LinkedIn TM.  Keeping up with Social Media is a part-time job of its own.  It’s fun, it promotes you and what you are doing and it can keep you in touch with those in your life.  However, setting aside all of the positive aspects of Social Networking, as a business owner you must consider how this impacts you and your bottom line. 

Almost all employees have their own dedicated computer or access to a computer while on the job.  This makes it very easy to have access to the web and its opportunity for “surfing” when time should be devoted to work.  Surfing the internet while on a break or during a lunch hour is acceptable for some companies and can have positive effects on productivity.  Where it crosses the line is when an employee devotes more than their allotted break time to their social media status updates.  If you are paying your employees for time spent in non work related tasks, you are loosing revenue.  You don’t have to invest in surveillance equipment or micro-manage your employees.  But, what you should do is have a policy in place that clearly defines acceptable usage of company owned equipment and make sure that each employee clearly understands the consequences of unauthorized usage.  Should you need to reprimand an employee or terminate their employment, having a policy in place will pave the way to ensuring your decisions are supported by the Department of Labor. 

For more information on establishing company policies, contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864 or info@staffscapes.com.

I turned on the news last night and watched as picture after picture was displayed showing the aftermath of the violent storms and devastating tornados that made their way across Oklahoma.  It happens every year across our great nation.  Buildings are destroyed, people are killed, and families go from enjoying an evening meal together to figuring out where they will sleep after their homes have been demolished.  Having been through several severe storms myself including the tornado that hit Windsor, CO in May, 2008, I am reminded that it is important to have a plan in place to deal with natural disasters when they occur.  As a business, it is your responsibility to provide a safe environment for your employees at your location.  You can’t prevent a natural disaster, but your can prepare for how to respond when the need arises.  Here are 3 Keys to help you get started:

1.  Have a written emergency evacuation procedure that includes floor plans and indicate exit locations and fire extinguishers.  Communicate these procedures with your staff

2.  Have an emergency kit stocked and accessible in each building of your business.  Include in this kit, contact phone numbers for medical treatment facilities in your area

3.  Have a designated location for all staff members to report to immediately after an emergency is declared.  Keep a staff roster with emergency contact information in an easily accessible location and account for all individuals by roll call to ensure safety and well-being of all employees

For more tips and information on preparing for an emergency, please contact us at 303-466-7864 or Eugena.Bellamy@StaffScapes.com for a complimentary copy of our whitepaper on developing your Emergency Response Plan.

During this economic recession, Colorado companies need to be aware of the CDLE’s ability to investigate companies looking for additional tax revenues.  The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) is required by House Bill HB09-1310, to accept complaints and conduct investigations regarding alleged misclassification of employees as independent contractors. An additional notification has also been added to the required Unemployment Notice Poster, alerting employees and contractors of their right to file a complaint.

Any person may file a written complaint alleging that an employer has misclassified an individual, who is performing work, as an independent contractor. After a complaint is received, the CDLE determines within 30 days whether an investigation is needed. If it is determined that an investigation is warranted, the CDLE will notify the company that an investigation will be conducted. Once the investigation is completed, the CDLE will issue a written order either dismissing the complaint or finding that the company has engaged in the act of misclassifying employees.

If an investigation finds that an employer has misclassified employees, the employer must pay all back taxes owed with interest. Additionally, the employer may be fined up to $5,000 per misclassified employee for the first misclassification and up to $25,000 per misclassified employee for a second or subsequent misclassification. In addition, upon a second or subsequent misclassification, the employer is prohibited from contracting with, or receiving any funds from, the state of Colorado for up to two years.

The law also allows an employer to request an advisory opinion. The opinion is available to employers seeking advice on proper classification of workers. If you would like to request an advisory opinion on whether you should classify individuals as employees or independent contractors a written, signed request must be submitted. Some of the questions CDLE will base their determination on are:

• Does the individual(s) have an independent trade, profession, or occupation? If so, what is that trade, profession, or occupation?

• How is the rate of pay determined? Is the individual paid a salary, hourly rate, fixed rate, contract rate, or by the completion of work?

• Does the individual(s) work exclusively for you?

• Do you oversee the actual work or instruct the individual as to how the work will be performed?

• Can you terminate the work the individual is performing at any time? If so, for what reasons?

• What training do you provide the individual(s)?

• What tools or benefits do you provide to the individual(s)?

• What materials and equipment do you provide to the individual(s)?

• What are the individual’s work hours? How is the time he or she works determined?

• How is the individual(s) paid? If by check, who is the check made payable to?

• Is the individual(s) business a part of your business? Is it separate and distinct?

Apple™ promotes its new Apple iPad™ as the “best way to experience the web, e-mail, photos and video.  Hands Down.”  We agree.  We also think that StaffScapes is the “best way to handle your human resources needs.  Period.”  Hundreds of people count on us weekly to be their “partners to answer questions regarding Human Resources, employee relations, process payroll, assist with workers’ compensation and unemployment claims and much more”, said Jim Thibodeau, President of StaffScapes, Inc. 

From today through Labor Day, StaffScapes will be providing one Apple iPad™ to any person or company that refers a qualifying* new client and who begins services by September 6, 2010.  This promotion is open to any client, employee, friend, relative or business associate of StaffScapes, Inc. Some restrictions apply.  For rules and regulations, please contact StaffScapes, Inc.  303-466-7864 or info@StaffScapes.com.

*see rules and regulations for qualified requirements.

Summer is here!  With no papers to write or tests to take, many high school and college students are hanging out at the pool enjoying their much anticipated time off.  But many others are looking to earn some extra money and a chance to improve their skills.  For many employers, this is a great opportunity to get caught up on tasks without the need to hire an employee long-term.  Due to the planned length of employment and the demographic involved, some employers easily confuse these jobs believing that the on the job training students receive qualifies as an internship and may offer the position as unpaid.  The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has specific requirements you need to know when evaluating the type of position you have available.  To qualify for an unpaid internship, the following criteria must be met according to the Department of Labor:

1.    The internship must be similar to the training the student would receive in an educational environment.
2.    The experience will benefit the intern.
3.    The intern does not take the place of another employee and is supervised by existing staff.
4.    The employer receives no immediate advantage from employing the intern and may in fact have their operations interrupted due to the training involved. Typically, more supervision and training is required for the intern compared to other employees. 
5.    The intern is not guaranteed a job at the end of the internship period.
6.    The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not eligible for wages for the time spent in the internship.

If all of the above criteria are not met, chances are the position would be viewed as an employment relationship and would be subject to wage and hour laws.  For more information, please review this Fact Sheet.

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

Cell phones are a way of life.  We update our Facebook accounts, check e-mail, find a restaurant, text our significant others and even occasionally talk to someone.  But increasingly, cell phones are becoming a vehicle for what is being labeled as “textual harassment” or harassment via text messages.  It’s easy to discount, thinking that this is a simple issue and one that won’t ever affect you, but “textual harassment” is becoming a problem for all age groups and it is an issue that employers must deal with.

Employees today are using their cell phones as new weapons for sending threatening and abusive messages to co-workers.  They are spreading non truths about others including their supervisors and/or the companies they work for.  They are sexually harassing colleagues and employees alike and even bullying co-workers.  Considering all of this, it is important for employers to have clear policies in their handbooks that detail what is and is not acceptable when it comes to texting.  This form of harassment can also apply to social media posting. When drafting your policies, consider the usage of not only personal cell phones but also privacy issues related to company paid for and company reimbursed cell phones as well. Once your policies are in place, you should establish training for staff members that explains your position and outlines procedures for complaints to management.  Dealing with reports immediately, documenting the complaint, investigating the claim and evaluating the evidence for potential corrective action will go a long way in defending you and your company should the EEOC get involved. 

StaffScapes is experienced in dealing with claims of textual harassment and works with its clients to have clear policies established.  For more information or assistance for your company, please call StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.

Are all unemployed candidates a risk to hire?  Were they laid off or fired solely for performance?  If they have been out of work for some time, does that mean that they are unqualified since no one has hired them yet?  These are valid questions, however, many applicants in today’s market are typically available longer and are still excellent candidates. 

So, how can you fairly evaluate candidates and eliminate the non-qualified and hire the top performers?  According to an article in Staffing Industry Review by Margaret Steen, Ms. Steen offers the following 10 questions to ask and/or consider during your interview to find the best unemployed candidate(s):

1. How does the candidate explain being out of work?
2. What is the candidate doing while unemployed?
3. In which round of layoffs was the person let go?
4. What does the candidate’s employment pattern show?
5. Where has the candidate worked in the past?
6. Was the candidate referred to you?
7. Does the candidate have the right skills?
8. Are there subtle red flags?
9. What do you learn from an extensive reference check?
10. What does the candidate’s body language tell you?

These points of discussion or observation should help you communicate with candidates to clearly determine the reasons for separation, skills and the probability for the potential new hire to not only contribute to your business but also have some longevity. 

Would you like to have more money in your pocket?  Flexible Spending Account Open Enrollment for 2011 is here!  Please submit your enrollment by December 31, 2010.  FSA’s are easy to use and a great way to save on taxes.

Some of the expenses that are eligible to be reimbursed under qualified Flexible Spending Accounts are:
-Deductible & Co-pays
-Contacts/glasses and eye exams
-Prescriptions co-pays
-Dental treatments
-and many more!
**Over the counter medications are no longer reimbursable without a perscription**
Please contact StaffScapes, Inc. to get a full list of eligible expenses

Have a child in daycare?  Dependent Reimbursement Account is available as well.

As the end of 2010 is getting closer, StaffScapes, Inc. wants to remind its FSA participates to use all of the funds available in their FSA accounts.
***Receipts must be dated for services rendered in 2010 and must be submitted by March 31, 2011.

If you would like more information regarding the Flexible Benefit plan or would like to participate in the 2011 FSA program, please contact StaffScapes Benefit Department at (303) 466-7864.

Employers in 3 states will be required to pay more in Federal Unemployment for 2010, with potentially an additional 21 states following suit in 2011. Employers with business in Michigan, Indiana and South Carolina will have additional taxes added to their 2010 Federal Unemployment Report 940. These states’ unemployment funds borrowed money from the federal unemployment fund and did not pay the loan back with in required time.

A state that borrows money from the federal account has until the end of the following year to pay back the loan in order to avoid additional FUTA taxes being charged to their employers. However, the state has until November 10th of the year the tax increase will take effect to pay back the loan and avoid the increase. This additional time to pay will make it hard for employers in the 21 additional states with potential loan repayment problems to know exactly how much their FUTA tax will be for the year. Employers will not know how much liability to book for the current year or may have to reserve amounts of cash, limiting investment and business development, not knowing if the tax is due until November or December of that year. For every year a loan remains unpaid the FUTA tax rate increases by 0.3%.

As of November, 2010, over $41 billion have been loaned to 31 states and the US Virgin Islands. Employers in 3 states are currently affected with a potential 21 being added for the 2011 tax year and an additional 7 for 2012. A list of the states that have borrowed funds with amounts and date the loan can be found here.

Please contact StaffScapes with any questions or to discuss further ramifications of the unemployment account fund status.

Selling.  Whether you like it or not, each and every one of us must sell no matter what our position within the company is.  You may not be the company “closer”, in other words, the one to ask for the sale and complete the transaction, but you do sell.  Selling is nothing more than the Art of Influence and assisting people with their decisions.  We sell every time we answer the phone.  Don’t see how that is selling?  Think about the last time you called a business and the person on the phone lacked service with a smile, knowledge or organization.  Did they earn your business?  If you are scared by this little four letter word, try a little word play.  Change sales to help.  Is it easier for you to help a customer make a decision on the best product for their needs? 

Recently, our sales team attended a webinar presented by Clay Kelly, a leading expert in our field of Professional Employer Organizations.  He encouraged applying the following to our daily planning for a successful 2011.  We agreed and decided to share the tips with you too.

1. FOCUS!  Don’t let little distractions derail your production and ultimate success.

2. WORK HARD!  Push yourself to do just a little more every day and you will end the year with more calls, more appointments, more referrals and more business. 

3. TIME MANAGEMENT!  Schedule smart so you can make every hour productive.  Block off time for calls each week and don’t allow yourself to get distracted.

4. PLAN!  Plan your day, week, month and year.  Remember, those who don’t plan, plan to fail. 

5. PROSPECT INTELLIGENTLY!  Maximize your prospecting time.  At least 20% of your time should be devoted to this.  Get to know friends of contacts and their friends.  Be smart about your prospecting.  Research and plan ahead.

6. QUALIFY!  NEVER leave a meeting without setting the next meeting!  If the prospect cancels, push to get the meeting re-booked.  If they hesitate, flat out ask if there is a problem and if they are still interested or not. 

a. Qualify and get to the core issue…don’t drag it out.

b. If you leave 2 messages, on the 3rd, leave a message that says you don’t want to continue bothering them and this will be your last call.  Tell them that if you have mistakenly viewed their not being able to return calls as a no, please let you know.

7. GET INVOLVED!  Become an active part of groups that you enjoy.  Be it the Chamber, Church, local group etc.  Get on a committee and involve yourself in some leadership capacity.

8. ASK! Ask Better Questions! Remember that the majority of businesses do not go with the cheapest price. People buy from people whom they:
1)LIKE
2)TRUST
3)Who are CAPABLE of helping them

9. CONTROL! Do NOT leave anything for the prospect to complete!  It is your job to ask questions and have much of the paperwork completed in advance.  Know the decision time frame and process for every prospect you are following. 

10. SET EXPECTATIONS!  Educate your prospect on how you work and establish a timeline.

11. PREPARE FOR OBJECTIONS!  Have multiple responses for every objection.

12. Always ASK for the business!

Put these actions in to your plan this year and watch your success grow.  Do you have any other tips you would like to share?  If so, let us know!

To our success!

Running a business can be difficult.  Being confident you are compliant with required laws can be even harder.  But, it doesn’t have to be.  Why wait until you need to find information or it is required for you to provide HR data.  To help, StaffScapes has compiled a list of areas that should be included in your 2011 audit below:

1.  Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
2.  Employee Applications
3.  New Hire Reporting
4.  Timesheets
5.  Performance documentation
6.  Workers’ Compensation Claims
7.  OSHA Logs
8.  Medical Applications
9.  COBRA/Continuation notifications
10. Drug Testing
11. Retirement Plan Compliance

Reviewing your documents now will save you time and stress later.  StaffScapes takes care of all of these areas and more allowing our clients to focus on their business.

If you are investigating contracting with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) for your human resources and payroll processing needs, we encourage you to contact us at 303-466-7864 or info@StaffScapes.com. As a PEO, we are your local trusted advisor dedicated to helping you focus on your employees, increase your profits and protect your assets.  Recently, we read an article by Anthony Jernigan entitled The Perks of Professional Employer Organizations.  It is a fabulous overview on the differences between a PEO and a payroll processing firm.  The article details the services our industry provides and informs the reader as to the benefits of partnering with a PEO.  We encourage you to read this article and contact us if you have questions or would like to learn more about how you can benefit from working with a PEO and StaffScapes.

Note:  Recently, StaffScapes had the pleasure of presenting at a local Chamber of Commerce luncheon. During this speech, we focused on points to help the small business owner grow and prosper in 2012.  We have taken this speech and created a series of blogs we will post based on each of the 4 P’s we feel are critical to your business.
 

This week, we focus on the People that make up your company. 

The People Component
As a small business owner, people are what help make you a success.  Without people, you really don’t have a business.  These ‘People’ are you, your customers (both internal and external) and your trusted partners.  They are your support system, your advisors and the reason you chose to become an entrepreneur.
 

Your initial and primary area of focus should be you, the business owner.  To truly grow and prosper you must understand your business and answer a few fundamental questions; where is my business now, where do I want it to be and how will I get it there.  First, we recommend that you analyze where you want to be.  Do you want to grow and expand your business or are you content with serving the needs of your local community?  Next, determine what you want for yourself.  Do you want balance or are you driven and willing to work long hours? Once you have answered this question, incorporate this within your mission statement and create your vision and values with this in mind.
 

Now that you have established the core purpose for your business, it’s time to build a strong team to help deliver the level of service you have aligned with your mission, vision and values.  Making key decisions when hiring your staff or training those who you already employ, will determine in part the future success of your business.  Review the strengths and weaknesses of your team.  Are there areas where one employee could help train another? Do you have the right employee in the right job or are their abilities a better match to another function within your business?  Do your employees understand the functions of each department enough to “pitch hit” in the event of an emergency?
 

Once you understand your business, where you want to go and how your team will help you get there, you must focus on your customers to achieve these goals.  Get to know your customers, what they like, what they don’t and ask them for input on products or services they would like to see you offer.  Give credit to great ideas as this shows your customer that you listen.  Establish programs to provide value for your clients and create a program to show appreciation.  Simple “thank you” notes on anniversary dates, for a purchase or to acknowledge something of importance are great ways to show appreciation.  Keeping your name in front of your customer and showing appreciation will keep them coming back for years to come.
 

Finally, you can’t do it all.  Enlisting the help of experts will keep you on track and making the right key decisions for your business.  Working with a team of trusted advisors is another important sector for the People that make up your business.  Find leaders and knowledgeable people to help you with areas such as financial planning, marketing, accountability, legal and human resources.  These are people like your CPA, attorney, family and your Human Resources advisor.
 

Our next post will focus on understanding the financial side of your business so that you may ultimately increase your profit.
 

Understanding the business of employment is tricky and StaffScapes can help you be confident in your “People” practices. By helping you to stay compliant and assisting you with supporting your key people on your team we will help you grow and prosper and keep you focused on the reason why you got into business. We will help you with benefits, training and guidance to help make your company one that others want to work for.

So you have decided to terminate an employee.  What is next?  In the state of Colorado once you have made that decision, you as a client of StaffScapes, since the accounting unit is offsite are required to have that employee’s check cut/processed within 24 hours of the termination unless it takes place on a Friday then you have until the following Monday.  What this means is StaffScapes will need their final hours and any other monies owed to them as soon as possible so that we can get the check cut.  Any deductions from final checks must have a completed deduction authorization signed by the employee.  Once the check is processed we will get it out into the mail either to your place of business or to the home address we have for the employee.  Per the Dept of Labor as long as the check is processed and post marked with in 24 hours of the termination you are compliant within their regulations.  Common misconception is that you can wait until the normal pay date to pay them and in some states that is true but not in Colorado. If an employee quits or resigns in Colorado the final pay is due on the next regular payday.