The HR Team November 2009 Newsletter

As I'm sure you've noticed, we've had a lot of rain lately.  As a result, a lot of little creatures, namely field mice, have found refuge in my garage.  We've known for a while that they were there, but we haven't been too concerned, as the garage is sealed from the house; and quite frankly, we haven't been able to find their hiding place.

Well, one night, my husband and daughter came home to find a 4-foot garden snake in the garage, and then saw it slither under a step, and disappear.  The next morning, my husband creatively (and humanely) removed the snake from the garage, and let me know that our mouse problem was gone.

What's the moral of the story, you ask?  I have to say, had we eliminated the rodents when we first realized they were there, the snake would most likely not have come into the garage and given my family a huge fright.  Of course, once all of these "fun" creatures were gone, we then had to begin the cleanup process.

The reality is that we see snakes and mice all the time in our workspaces.  What can we do to make sure we are not cleaning up their messes long after they are gone?

Interview training - Sometimes the best offense is a good defense.  It's hard to know who or what is entering a garage.  However, we do and should have control as to who enters our company.  Proper training for managers will help them understand the importance of asking the right questions, and how to interpret answers applicants provide.

Performance management - who are we kidding?  No matter how skilled we are at interviewing, unwanted creatures will enter our workplace.  Proper processes to deal with non-performers, along with training for managers, will help ensure that the damage in your organization is kept to a minimum.

Sexual harassment training - Because sometimes, a snake is a snake and needs to be dealt with in a humane manner for all involved.

Is your organization as protected as it can be from mice and snakes?  I thought so.  So why not give The HR Team a call to discuss how we can keep your damage to a minimum?

PS:  My family wanted me to mention the snake is still alive and slithering through Columbia.

The HR Team Staff News

 Please join me in welcoming Joe Prucha to The HR Team as a Senior Human Resources Generalist. 

Prior to joining the firm, Joe worked for other consulting/ outsourcing firms, specifically: Mid Atlantic HR, Mather Companies, and Get Integrated. In his 20+ years in HR, Joe has also worked for Energetics, Amerix, Youth Services International and MNC Financial.

Joe has a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Alphonsus, and an M.A. in Education and Theology from St Alphonsus as well. 

In other news... Managing Consultant, Karen Warthen was named to the board of Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center.

A New Posting Requirement

EEOC has revised its "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" poster. The new version reflects current federal employment discrimination law (including the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008). The poster was revised to add information about the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, which is effective November 21, 2009. The revised poster also includes updates from the Department of Labor.

There are several ways for employers to comply with the law: 

"Frills" Disappear from Benefits 

As employers search for more ways to do business in today's economy, they are clamping down on smaller costs in the list of employee benefits.

A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management shows that some of the first benefits to go include adoption assistance benefits, child- and elder-care referral services, matching of charitable contributions, and scholarships for employees' children.

Their study included employers of all types and sizes, showing a snapshot of the American workplace as a whole.  Any benefit perceived as a frill is in jeopardy, no matter how low its cost or how great its image may be.

So what benefits are employers offering these days?  Why not contact The HR Team to conduct a market benefits study.

Texting While Driving 

Effective October 1, Maryland joined a number of states and the District of Columbia by banning texting while driving.  Texting while driving can cost drivers a fine of up to $500.  

The law, also known as the Delegate John Arnick Electronic Communications Traffic Safety Act, prohibits a person from using a text messaging device to write or send a text message while operating a motor vehicle in motion or in the travel portion of a roadway.  The law makes the activity a misdemeanor crime with the potential of a civil penalty to be imposed and a fine of not more than $500 if convicted.

The state of Virginia banned texting while driving this past summer. In Virginia, first-time offenders are fined $20; after that, the fine increases to $50.

Several members of Congress pushed for a nationwide ban this summer that would force states (through federal highway funds) to outlaw texting while driving.

Don't have a policy?  We can help you draft one, so feel free to give us a call. 


Retirement Plan Limits

The Internal Revenue Service announced cost-of-living adjustments applicable to dollar limitations for pension plans and other items for Tax Year 2010.

The limitations that are adjusted by reference to Section 415(d) will remain unchanged for 2010.  This is because the cost-of-living index for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, is less than the cost-of-living index for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, and, following the procedures under the Social Security Act for adjusting benefit amounts, any decline in the applicable index cannot result in a reduced limitation.  For example, the limitation under Section 402(g)(1) on the exclusion for elective deferrals will be $16,500 for 2010, which is the same amount as for 2009.  This limitation affects elective deferrals to 401(k) plans and to the Federal Government's Thrift Savings Plan, among other plans.　
　
More details can be found on the IRS website.