HR Archives - Wiss & Company, LLP

Helping New Employees Feel Belonging in a Remote Work World

Written on August 20, 2020. Posted in Uncategorized.

Questions & Wiss Answers: An interview with Amanda Dominguez, Director of People Operations With employees working from home, how can companies make sure new hires are really part the team? Even before the Covid-19 era, research showed that onboarding was one of the biggest challenges for organizations. The need to onboard remotely provides a chance to think about this important process in new ways, including ensuring that you’re putting the right emphasis on making sure new...

HR Compliance Checklist

Written on August 11, 2020. Posted in Human Resources.

By Lisa Calick Regardless of a company’s size, it is important to make sure that its policies and practices comply with employment laws that exist at the Federal, State, and Local levels. Doing so will help to minimize liability and risk. Below are some key areas that a company should pay close attention to. Hiring and Onboarding Have job descriptions and job postings been reviewed to ensure they are current and contain accurate information? If employment applications are used,...

Frequently Asked Questions About the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Written on May 4, 2020. Posted in General Business, Human Resources.

By Lisa Calick I’ve been forced to furlough my employees due to a slowdown in business operations. Are they still eligible for the leave entitlements as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act? Unfortunately no. If you have furloughed your employees because there is not enough work for them, they are not entitled to take paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under the Act. They may, however, be eligible for unemployment benefits through your State. Many...

New Jersey’s Changing Laws Regarding Independent Contractors

Written on February 13, 2020. Posted in Advisory Services, Human Resources.

by Lisa Calick, SPHR New Jersey continues down the path of strengthening employee rights in the workplace, with recent legislation designed to help and protect workers. Last month Governor Murphy signed several bills into law to combat worker misclassification. Below is a summary of newly enacted laws which New Jersey businesses should pay close attention to: Penalties for Misclassification New Jersey employers that misclassify workers as independent contractors may be liable for...

Today’s Software Solutions Vastly Improve HR Staff Productivity

Written on April 29, 2019. Posted in Advisory Services, Human Resources.

Updated 7/30/2019. I recently visited a client company with over 750 employees. The HR staff kept track of vacations on a spreadsheet. Anyone considering taking time off would first call up some poor overworked HR rep and see how many days they had remaining. That rep would have to then manually update the remaining totals. I have to imagine that was pretty much how that staffer spent his or her summer months at work. This same company had a total of about ten spreadsheets keeping...

How a Mentorship Might Advance Your Career

Written on April 16, 2019. Posted in Human Resources.

By Kevin Kurtz Updated 7/29/2019 You’ve graduated from college with a degree that should give you a good starting point to a gratifying career. But you don’t actually have that job yet. Do you know which career positions to pursue? Large employer or small? Relocate or stay local? From point of graduation forward, it can be beneficial to have the insight and advice of someone older who’s been where you hope to go. Someone who has navigated the obstacles and blind alleys you’re about...

Recruiting for Millennials

Written on April 10, 2019. Posted in Human Resources.

By Kelsey Silverstein Developing a recruitment strategy that targets millennials is no longer a future concern. It is a present-day prerequisite to obtain top talent. In order to attractively advertise your company to these young professionals, we first need to define them. So, who are Millennials? Millennials are a cohort that range from ages 23-38. In 2017, Pew Research Center found that 56 million Millennials were either working or actively seeking employment, surpassing Gen-Xers....

HR ALERT: NJ Paid Family Leave

Written on February 21, 2019. Posted in Human Resources.

Governor Murphy has yet again signed a bill into law providing New Jersey employees with greater benefits. This new law expands the already existing paid family leave program in New Jersey, which has been in place since 2009. The existing program has provided paid leave to workers for up to six weeks, at a benefit equal to two-thirds of their pay, with a maximum benefit of $650 per week. Under this new law, which takes effect July 1, 2020, employees will be able to take 12 weeks...

HR ALERT: NJ Minimum Wage Increase

Written on February 1, 2019. Posted in Human Resources.

Updated February 4, 2019 Governor Murphy has now signed the bill raising the minimum wage in New Jersey, something we have started to see in other states. The state’s legislature had only passed the bill last week, but Governor Murphy quickly signed it, having been a strong advocate for this change. The new law will raise the minimum wage in increments. The first increase is set for July 1, 2019 when it rises to $10 an hour for most workers, with future increases each year in January...

HR & Payroll Year End Readiness

Written on November 27, 2018. Posted in Advisory Services.

By Lisa Calick, Carolyn Hall, Floriana Allen, and Laura Melville The end of the year can be busy for many companies. While December brings holiday parties and end-of-year celebrations, business owners should be mindful to make sure their HR and payroll departments are on top of timely actions in order to ensure a smooth transition into the New Year. This checklist will help you get a jumpstart on your year-end planning. Human Resources Review your employees’ data to make sure...

New Jersey Employers Subject To New Paid Sick Leave law

Written on September 25, 2018. Posted in Human Resources.

By Lisa Calick, SPHR New Jersey employers will soon be faced with new requirements to provide paid sick leave to all employees. Signed into law by Governor Murphy earlier this year, the new requirements will take effect on October 29th. As stated in an earlier blog, this mandate applies to businesses of all sizes and requires employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave to employees, including part-time, temporary and seasonal employees. Businesses that do not currently...

HR ALERT: NYC Faces New Sexual Harassment Responsibilities

Written on August 20, 2018. Posted in Human Resources.

New York City and New York State employers need to be aware of upcoming responsibilities resulting from the passage of anti-sexual harassment laws earlier this year. The most immediate change goes into effect on September 6, 2018 when New York City employers will need to comply with the Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act. As of that date, all employers will be required to post the required anti-sexual harassment notice in the workplace and provide this information to employees at...

Governor Murphy Signs Statewide Paid Sick and Safe Leave Bill

Written on May 2, 2018. Posted in Human Resources.

By Lisa Calick, SPHR Governor Murphy has signed a Paid Sick Leave Law, which will now require New Jersey employers of all sizes to provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave to employees each year. Several municipalities already have existing ordinances requiring similar leave, however this new act will preempt those individual ordinances and provide a uniform benefit requirement statewide. The new law will take effect 180 days from the date signed, and will cover employers of all...

NJ Lawmakers Pass Equal Pay Act: What It Means For Your Business

Written on April 10, 2018. Posted in Human Resources.

By Lisa Calick, SPHR New Jersey lawmakers have overwhelmingly passed the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act, a comprehensive pay equity law that significantly strengthens employer requirements to provide equal pay for similar employment without regard to gender or other protected characteristics. Governor Phil Murphy, a strong proponent of equal pay, has stated he will sign the legislation, which would take effect on July 1, 2018. Once signed, New Jersey would have one of the broadest...

Know When an HR Assessment Is Needed

Written on March 6, 2018. Posted in Advisory Services.

By Lisa Calick, SPHR Are your business’s human resources starting to fall behind? Have you not reviewed HR policies and procedures in quite some time? Are you running a new startup? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may need an HR assessment to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, as well as reduce the risk of potential liabilities. When Should an HR Assessment Be Performed? Fundamentally, an HR assessment is an investigation of a company’s current...

Salary History Ban Takes Effect in NYC

Written on December 21, 2017. Posted in Advisory Services.

By Lisa Calick, SPHR If you’re a company based in, or with offices in, New York City, you should be aware of a new law that took effect on October 31st. As of that date, it became illegal for public and private employers in New York City to inquire about an applicant’s salary history during any stage of the hiring process. This includes inquiries on employment applications, during interviews and while conducting background checks. The law was introduced to even the wage gap between...

Tag: HR