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.

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.

Medical Marijuana has become a popular topic of discussion, especially in the work place. Employers are being forced to take a closer look at their drug policies and make decisions on how this could impact their policies.  Some interesting statistics below found on the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry website.

• 33,614 new patient applications have been received to date since the registry began operating in June 2001. Twenty-seven (27) applications have been denied, 23 cards have been revoked, 279 patients have died, and 2,366 cards have expired, bringing the total number of patients who currently possess valid Registry ID cards to 30,919.
• Seventy-four percent of approved applicants are male.
• The average age of all patients is 40. Currently thirteen patients are minors (under the age of 18).
• Patients on the Registry represent all the debilitating conditions covered under Amendment 20. Severe pain accounts for 91% of all reported conditions

Are some of these patients in your workforce?  Maybe it’s time to review and update your policies.  Contact StaffScapes for assistance with policy development, drug free workplace programs, handbooks, and other human resource needs.

AETNA announced this week that as of Friday, it would cease offering small group insurance plans in Colorado to companies with fifty employees or less.  According to a 9News story, a press release was issued in which Anjie Coplin, a spokesperson for Aetna said that the withdrawal from this market was based on several factors, including the inability to offer affordable plans. 

In addition to not offering new policies, the company will begin moving existing clients off of their plans.  This move is estimated to affect one thousand companies which will cause changes for an undisclosed number of families.  Reports indicate that other carriers may issue plan coverage to former Aetna policy holders. 

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.

Bells are ringing, lights are blinking and yummy goodies are being shared with holiday cheer.  Although the good feelings and warm wishes surround us during this winter time of celebration, it is also the time for stress and accidents.  Here’s a list of tips from StaffScapes to make sure you and your employees bring in the New Year safely.

Around the Office
1. Make sure walkways are clear from snow daily.  Use an ice melting product to help prevent slips and falls.
2. Tape down any electrical cords that are being used for holiday décor.
3. Provide hand sanitizer and desk wipes to help prevent the spread of germs from colds and flu.

At the Party
1. Limit or prohibit alcohol for the festivities.  If you do serve, monitor your staff and call taxi’s for anyone without designated drivers.
2. Provide plenty of food and non-alcoholic drinks for guests.
3. Keep it professional.  It may be a party and a relaxed atmosphere, but it is still the office.

For You
1. Get as much sleep as you can.  Being well rested will help you fight off airborne illnesses.
2. Drink plenty of water and eat healthy.  Enjoy the Christmas cookies but avoid overindulgence.
3. Keep Your Routine.  Tis The Season to stress out with holiday parties, work deadlines, end of year requirements, shopping, multiple requests from others etc.  Sometime it just seems like it is too much for one person to handle.  To help assist with the demands of the season, do your best to maintain a routine that closely matches what you do during less busy times of the year.  Write down your “To Do” list, delegate tasks that you can and schedule a little “me time” whenever you can—even if it is just for a cup of coffee at your favorite little java joint. 

Happy Holidays!

On December 3, 2010, the Internal Revenue Service issued the 2011 optional standard mileage rates to calculate deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes.

Beginning January 1, 2011 the standard mileage for the use of a car will be:
• 51 cents per miles for business miles driven
• 19 cents per miles driven for medical or moving purposes
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations. 

For further information you can go to the IRS announcement.

Other key information for 2011

Colorado Minimum Wage increase to $7.36

401K Limits (401B & 457 B) -  $16,500
$5,500 catch-up contribution for those over 50 years old

HSA - $3,050.00 Employee Only limit per year
$6,150.00 Family limit per year
$1,000.00 Catch-up contribution for those over 55 years old

For more information on Benefit Packages Available, please contact StaffScapes 303-466-7864.

StaffScapes is now providing $5,000 of group term life and AD & D coverage for all full-time employees through Unum at no additional cost. “We are pleased to add such a great benefit to our current offerings” said Jim Thibodeau, President of StaffScapes.

We are truly excited about the options available through this program as employees now have the option to increase their coverage to $100,000 with no medical underwriting. Coverage can be maximized up to five times your salary up to $500,000. Spouse and child coverage are available as well with all policies being fully portable.

In addition, StaffScapes is also announcing a new Work-Life Balance/EAP (Employee Assistance Program) that can help you at no additional charge with everyday challenges at work or home. For example, experts are available to counsel in areas of: Childcare or Eldercare referrals, Personal relationship assistance, Health related information and on-line tools, Legal consultations with licensed attorneys, Financial planning, Stress management and Career development.

For more information, please contact Lora Manternach at 303-466-7864 or lora@staffscapes.com

Have you updated your employee applications for new hires?  The new 2011 W-4 has been released by the IRS.  Once the employee completes the W-4 upon hire, the only other time this form would be applicable is if the employee would like to make changes to their withholding election.  When the employees are having their taxes prepared is a great time for them to ask their tax advisor for be submitted for their W-4 withholding.  Select here for the form 2011 W-4.

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.

Congratulations!  Your business is growing and you are now in need of a quality employee to help you with the increases in work load, sales and fulfillment of your product or service.  Should you just put an ad in the paper or post on-line somewhere to find your first employee?  Should you ask your network for referrals?  All of these methods are good options to help you, however, before you do, there are several suggestions we have for making sure you attract and retain the best employee possible.  With this in mind, we asked Beth Smith, Owner of A-list Interviews and a business associate of StaffScapes to add some of her thoughts as well and we thank her for her contributions. Here are the 8 key things you need to know about hiring your first employee: 

1. Determine what skills your new employee should have.  What job functions will they be performing and what soft skills will they need to be a good fit with your management style? “Dream BIG. This is your opportunity to think outside the box about your company’s needs.”
2. Write down all of the job tasks you plan this person to do.  Create a job description from this list. 
3. Take the key functions from the description and use these to draft your job placement ad.
4. Develop a list of interview questions.  Ask the same questions of every candidate that you interview.  Make sure the questions are centered around the job duties as well as questions regarding your mission, vision, values and ethics. “Make sure that you listen. Interview questions are important, but not nearly as important as the applicants’ responses.”
5. Prepare a manual for orientation that reviews all of your policies and procedures, including those that are required by State and Federal regulations.
6. Use a check-list for your orientation.  Make sure key areas are identified such as expectations, company culture, lunch rules, office hours etc.  Use this as well to keep track of action items you have such as key or uniform distribution.
7. Create a follow-up system for evaluating your new employee.  Review their performance more frequently in the first six months to provide input and guidance on small tweaks that can be made to improve if necessary their abilities.  This also helps to provide information for a formal yearly review and ensures that surprises won’t occur when you meet to review performance.
8. Plan incentive opportunities or team building by rewarding your employee with small tokens of appreciation.
 
By planning ahead, your search for a quality employee should be easier and the results will be better.  According to Ms. Smith, “a well executed interview process can be the key to finding the right person the first time.”

The Department of Labor and Employment has submitted a draft proposed rule to establish fines associated with employee misclassification. If this rule is approved and enacted, an employer who willfully misclassified an employee as an independent contractor will be fined by the CDLE. The CDLE will fine first offenders 5% of each misclassified employees annual gross wages or $100, which ever is greater. Also, repeat offenders will be fined 25% of each misclassified employees annual gross wages or $500, whichever is greater. This is just the fine; employers should expect to pay the unemployment taxes on these misclassified employees as well as having the IRS and state revenue department being notified.

If you have questions concerning employee and independent contractor classifications feel free to contact your representative at StaffScapes to discuss further.

The proposed rule or amendment may be found here.

Are you planning on paying year end or Christmas bonuses?  Please keep in mind that there are a few tax implications when it comes to paying them out.  If you want to pay them on a separate check then the “supplemental tax” comes into play which is a 25% flat Federal tax in addition to Social Security, Medicare and any applicable supplemental state tax rates that would come out.  By adding the bonus to the employees check the normal tax rates would apply. If you have other questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to call StaffScapes at 303-466-7864. 

Attention StaffScapes Clients, OSHA Form 300A have been sent to all clients that had employees with StaffScapes during 2011.  This summary page needs to be posted from February 1st to April 30th, 2012 at each worksite.

The OSHA 300A is a log that provides a summary work-related injuries and illnesses that includes the number of injuries, days away from work, and types of injuries or illnesses.

If you have not received your log please contact the Safety Coordinator today to get a copy of your log.  If you would like more information on the OSHA log or Workers Compensation administration please contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.
 

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.

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.
 

Last week, we focused on the People that make up your company.  If you didn’t get a chance to read this post, click here.  This week we are outlining key methods of working with your numbers for business success.

The Profit Component
Now that you have analyzed the people component of you business, it’s time to focus on profit.  After all, you got into business to make money, right?  Business would be much easier if all you have to do is open the doors and customers and cash would flood in.  In theory, customers in and product out will make you money, however there is so much more to the picture to ensure a profit.  One key snapshot for the health, growth & prosperity of your business are your numbers.
 

You first need to begin with your financial statements and getting to know what the numbers mean.  Review each statement.  If you are unsure of any part of the statement (how the numbers relate to cash flow and profit/loss, or why you need to have statements) talk with your CPA or accountant for clarification. Once you truly understand the impact the numbers included in your statements have on your business, you can begin to make sound strategic decisions that will move your business forward. 
 

With a full understanding of your numbers, it is time to put that knowledge to work. Based on your past performance, create an operating budget to help guide your future decisions. Be realistic with your projections and use your budget to plan sales and marketing initiatives that will generate additional business for you.  As for expenses, keep full records and make smart decisions.  Do you really need brand new furniture for your start-up business or can you get by with quality used furniture for the first year or two?
 

Now that your budget is in place, the work doesn’t stop.  You must continually update the numbers and make changes as necessary.  Did you have more or less sales than you projected? Did a huge expenditure occur that was unplanned?  If so, this could change your cash flow and operating budget. Knowing where you stand at any given time will help you to make the best decisions that will keep your business strong and viable for many years.  
 

By monitoring your numbers frequently, you will reduce the potential for surprises that could have a negative impact on your cash flow and revenue.  On an annual basis, we suggest a full review and/or audit of your books. Once completed, use these numbers to indicate your goals for the following year.  Basing decisions on hard data compared to just “winging it” will help you to make solid decisions. 
 

Our next post will focus on protecting everything you have worked so hard to develop. We will discuss risks and liabilities and methods to insure and protect your business.
 

Understanding the business of employment is tricky and StaffScapes can help you improve the “Profit” component of your business. By helping you to stay compliant and reducing non-revenue generating activities we can help you grow and prosper and keep you focused on the reason why you got into business. We will help you with payroll and tax compliance, claims mitigation, and other human resource tasks to give you the time to concentrate on your business.