28 Aug

Posted at 17:07h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

HR Insights Blog HeaderThe COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on nearly every facet of the workplace. With everything upended, employers are understandably focused on maintaining their service and product quality. But working hard isn’t the only key to successfully enduring the pandemic—in fact, the opposite may be just as critical.

Paid time off (PTO) is something many employees take for granted. Hundreds of millions of vacation days go unused each year, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Due to a variety of factors, some employees opt not to use time off, and they—and the entire organization—end up suffering for it in the long run. This article explains why encouraging employees to take PTO can be just as important, if not more so, than encouraging the “hustle” culture. Read More Button    

28 Aug

Posted at 16:50h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

HR Insights Blog HeaderAs the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues, employers are discerning appropriate actions to prioritize health and safety within their workplace.

Organizations are responsible for protecting the health of their employees, which can include recommending self-quarantine to employees who have been exposed to COVID-19. An exposure to COVID-19 may take place within the workplace, or an employee may report an exposure outside of the workplace. Read More Button    

28 Aug

Posted at 16:26h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

HR Insights Blog Header“Survivor’s guilt” is often associated with car crashes or natural disasters, but it can occur after any traumatic event.

The emotion typically comes when individuals feel remorseful for making it through a tragedy when others did not. In a professional setting, employees may experience survivor’s guilt— and the anxiety that comes with it—after organizational layoffs, furloughs or other shake-ups. Employers should do everything they can to address these complex emotions among employees following major workplace changes. Failing to do so can result in serious long-term consequences for employees and the organization as a whole. This article provides a brief overview of how survivor’s guilt can affect a workforce and outlines mitigation steps for employers to take.

26 Aug

Posted at 16:58h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

On Aug. 24, 2020, the U.SLegal Update Header. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2020-5 to remind employers of their obligation to accurately account for the number of hours their employees work away from the employer’s facilities.

While the bulletin was issued in response to the high number of employees working remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DOL is also reminding employers that the underlying principles apply to other telework or remote work arrangements. Read More Button    

21 Aug

Posted at 20:01h in Human Resources White Papers by . .

Legal Update HeaderThe U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has published an interim final rule to implement the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA), which provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave to certain federal employees covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The rule takes effect Oct. 1, 2020, the same date leave benefits become available under FEPLA.