HR Industry Brief

How many of these popular benefits did you give your employees this past year? Here are the perks workers are most thankful for:

• Student loan repayment
• Paid parental leave
• Mental health benefits
• Caregiving benefits
• Tax-advantaged health accounts
• Pet insurance
• Financial wellness benefits
• Breast milk shipping
• Wellness programs (think creative, such as a zombie-themed walking challenge)
• Unlimited paid time off

A new bill before Congress aims at protecting nursing home residents by mandating more stringent staffing protocols. Specifically, the Quality Care for Nursing Home Residents Act calls for:

• Increased baseline staffing levels under Medicare and Medicaid.
• Heightened training and supervision obligations for nursing staff.
• Safeguards for whistleblowers for both personnel and residents.
• Bans on coercive arbitration between nursing homes and residents.
• Implementation of a regulated protocol for collecting consent from residents taking psychotropic drugs.

According to one survey, over two-thirds of employees say they plan to shop online while at work during the holiday season. However, there are a few things you should know to help maintain productivity and morale:

• Online shopping may not be a big deal. Instead of trying to restrict computer access (remember that your employees may have personal devices you can’t control), consider enforcing productivity and quality standards on Cyber Monday. This can help ensure that work gets done and that online shopping doesn’t sidetrack workers.
• Communication is key. Make sure organizational rules and policies about using company computers for non-work activities and the use of personal devices are provided to all employees. Send out a remind on Cyber Monday about these policies.
• Be consistent. Enforce policies evenly across the board. All employees who violate rules/policies must be handled the same way. You can’t let one person off the hook because he/she is a … [Read more...] about (11/28) 3 Things Employers Should Consider Before Cyber Monday

Mammograms can be a first line of defense for detecting breast cancer, and they can help avert about 20% of breast cancer deaths. Some reasons to consider mobile mammography for your employees include:

• Employers increasingly hear from female workers that they want this benefit.
• It has become a benefit offering that helps attract and retain female employees, as it speaks to the company’s commitment to supporting them.
• It makes it easier for female employees to take care of themselves and their health.
• The flexibility and convenience are important to busy employees.
• It shows employees that you care about workers’ wellness and health.

Since 2003, the injury and illness rate for private sector employees has either declined or remained the same. Among the key statistics:

• The illness and injury rate for 2018 was 2.8 for every 100 full-time equivalent workers, virtually the same as it was in 2017.
• There were 2.81 million work-related injuries or illness in 2018, similar to the number in 2017.
• In 2018, there were just over 900 injuries or illnesses that caused at least one day away from work. This number is virtually unchanged from 2017.
• The highest illness rates were in state-operated nursing and residential care facilities, which had an injury rate of 11.9.

It’s not uncommon that when employers receive an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citation, they claim it was the employee’s fault for doing something stupid. This is recognized as the “employee misconduct” defense; and to prove it, you must show:

• An established work rule that, if followed, would have prevented the violation.
• That this rule was sufficiently communicated to the employee.
• You have taken steps to uncover violations.
• You have effectively enforced your safety rules.

Of course, no one likes making mistakes. However, increasingly, organizations are looking at mistakes and errors as an opportunity to identify and implement positive change and better processes. To turn a mistake into a training opportunity, consider the following:

• When possible, give employees a chance to fix their mistake.
• Dissect the mistake, but focus on the process, procedures, and system that made the error possible instead of the person erring. For instance, Jill may be responsible for a typo in the annual report, but perhaps that process didn’t give her enough time for proofing; or someone else made changes unbeknownst to her after she signed off on it.
• Don’t let good behaviors get mixed up with the mistake. Don’t dismiss consistently good work and dedication because of one mistake.
• Let people/teams teach others about their mistakes. Encourage people to see mistakes as learning opportunities and not a source of shame and … [Read more...] about (11/22) Why Mistakes Are Great Training Opportunities

According to a new study, employees are often forced to use out-of-network care for mental health and substance abuse treatment. Among the findings:

• 42% of employees say their company’s health plan doesn’t include any mental health or substance abuse programs.
• 47% say that their employer’s plan offers both support and services.
• 11% of employees say they have no idea what mental health benefits are available to them.
• Substance abuse treatment, according to the report, was 1,000% more likely to be offered as an out-of-network benefit than primary or surgical care.

It’s not too early to resolve to make some compliance changes in 2020. In fact, some updates and revisions will be valuable or even necessary. Here are some of the areas legal experts suggest you focus on:

• Timekeeping and compensation practices. Make sure your practices are in compliance with the Department of Labor’s new overtime threshold. Be aware of the potential dangers of building unpaid breaks into workers’ schedules.
• Hiring and recruiting. Know your state and local laws regarding salary history bans. Many cities and states have forbidden companies from asking about candidates’ past pay.
• Review paid sick leave, FMLA, and parental leave laws and make sure your policies are in compliance.

Some employees, even if they are effective at their jobs, can be oppositional, stubborn, or difficult. You want to keep them, but they drive you (or others) crazy. Here are some tips for saving your sanity and dealing with these difficult workers:

• Adjust job responsibilities to leverage the person’s strengths.
• If this is a new employee, consider temporarily overlooking his or her individual style while the person adjusts to the new surroundings and position.
• Don’t assume that just because someone is always argumentative that the person is never right. Try to keep an open mind and consider the individual’s viewpoint.
• Know where to draw the line.