Every time our Lunch and Learn rolls around, we get excited to sit down and learn from an expert in a specific area related to business. Our September Lunch and Learn featured HR aficionado Kristen Deutsch, M.B.A., CCP.
Wow, she had a lot of really great information to share with us and made us all think about some of the seemingly harmless things that we are doing that are not HR compliant (like asking illegal interview questions or performing background checks before providing a job offer).
She answered questions like “What is the first step any new business should take from an HR perspective?” and “How can we draw a line between personal preferences of employees and complaints that legally need to be addressed?”.
Maybe you missed this Lunch and Learn. We get it. Everyone is busy working IN their business and finding time to work ON your business is difficult. Cam, one of our Rise community members said, “I didn’t really feel like I had time to come to this but I’m glad I made time to do so. I learned so much!”
We’re going to review 10 of the main takeaways from the presentation…
- Did you know that Montana is the only state that does not adhere to the employment at will doctrine? However, that doesn’t necessarily mean what you think it does.
- Do you know what types of questions are legally permissible to ask during an interview? If not, review some online interview question resources or email us for a list of legally approved interview questions.
- “Termination” is the term used when an employee voluntary or involuntary discontinues working for a company. Keep that in mind whether an employee leaves on good or not-so-good terms.
- Focusing on work habits and performance issues is the proper way to address workplace concerns. Keep opinions, thoughts and feelings out of the picture. Warnings cannot be in email form, they must be formal and written.
- Did you know there is a service that will automatically send you updated employment law compliance posters whenever new updates are made? Check out JJ Keller and their Labor Law poster subscription offers.
- There aren’t any specific policies in place around workplace violence or bullying. It is the employer’s direct responsibility to have policies in place that outline repercussions of workplace violence and bullying.
- You must have employee records stored in a locked office and some records, based on who has access to the information contained in the records, need to be kept in a separate place altogether.
- I-9 Forms and compliance posters are the two easiest places to start when working to get your “HR” ducks in a row.
- It was recommended to keep all I-9 forms in a 3-ring binder with alphabetical dividers, filed by last name of employee.
- Ignorance is not bliss. There is no protection for companies who don’t know any better. If you aren’t sure if you’re compliant or you’re just starting out, find a professional who can help protect your business!
