As part of my role in HR, I speak with clients about employee wellness, both physical and mental. I encourage business owners and their employees to take opportunities to unplug from all the many sources of information we tap into on a daily basis, and to live in the moment, fully engaged in personal experiences when out of the office. When clients would ask me how I manage my own work responsibilities when unplugged, I would have to answer, “I’m not actually doing it mysel

As we are aware, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) salary threshold for exemption from overtime was being raised to $47,476 annually, as December 1, 2016. Then, on November 22nd, only one week prior to the deadline, a federal district court granted a preliminary (temporary) injunction that blocked (postponed) the ruling, preserving the status quo of $23,660 annually - the argument being that the Department of Labor (DOL) exceeded its authority by doubling the threshold and

As you read this blog, I ask you to please consider standing up, then once you are out of your chair, please read the below. How many of us “enjoy the benefits” of increased efficiency in the workplace by, for example, not even having to get out of our chair to print or copy a document? Now how many of us also know that our bodies benefit from movement and that we should get up at least once every 30 minutes to an hour – but still aren’t doing it? If the previous two se

Today we celebrate Veterans Day. Veterans Day is observed by recognizing and thanking those who are serving or have served our country and are still with us. It is important to note that it differs from Memorial Day, which is the day set aside to reflect and remember those who have lost their lives in service to our country. If you or a member of your family are a veteran, on behalf of everyone here at Zinman, we thank you for your service. If your office is open for bus

Likely the most common question we hear is, “can I terminate an (at-will) employee for cause, even if he/she is a member of a protected class?” The quick answer is yes: any at-will employee can be terminated at any time, with or without cause, so long as the reason for termination is not discriminatory or retaliatory (i.e.: refusing to perform an illegal act) in nature. Beyond that, an employee cannot be terminated for taking approved leave to which he/she is entitled (i.e

Because we are getting closer to the FLSA changes that December brings, I have attached a PDF that you may find helpful. I encourage everyone who has not already familiarized themselves with the FLSA changes to read the attached in its entirety, though below is a summary for your quick review – the below is just an abbreviated outline/summary and therefore does not address specifics such as, for example, outside sales, educators, lawyers, and medical professionals. Three te

Most businesses have started their 2017 strategic planning. We encourage you to remember Human Resources needs in your planning process. The misnomer that a robust Human Resources strategy is important only for large businesses has fallen by the wayside. Why do small and mid-sized businesses need to include Human Resources in their strategic planning? Well, for small businesses, human capital management is critical to success due to the large percentage of employees who p

This week’s blog was inspired by a meeting I had with one of our clients yesterday, and our conversation about First Aid/CPR/AED knowledge. Regarding CPR, for example, my certification was issued by the American Red Cross, and I was trained to start CPR with 30 chest compressions before giving two rescue breaths, then repeat. Others may have been trained to provide compressions only. The topic discussed was: even though our First Aid/CPR/AED certification is up to date, d