HR Alerts
Remote Verification of I-9’s
Remote I-9 verification flexibility ends July 31, 2023 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allowed for flexible remote I-9 verification during the pandemic. Meaning employers did not have to physically inspect eligibility documents to complete the I-9 for new hires. These flexibilities were extended multiple times during the pandemic but will end on July 31,…
Read MoreMandatory Arbitration Agreements – Now Legal?
In February, a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel revisited and struck down California’s ban on mandatory employment arbitration agreements, which was part of AB 51, enacted in 2019. This panel declared AB51 was preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The statute in question, AB 51, was signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2019. This…
Read MoreAre Arbitration Agreements Legal?
Many small businesses in the past have required their employees agree to arbitration and mandated either specifically written or standard use Arbitration Agreements as a condition of employment. These forms typically contain clauses requiring arbitration in the event of a dispute between the employee and an employer. However, in 2019, California passed a law prohibiting…
Read MoreOSHA Form 300
OSHA Form 300A Must Be Posted by February 1 Employers that had 11 or more employees at any time during 2022 are required to keep a record of serious work-related injuries and post Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A from February 1 through April 30, unless they qualify as an exempt low-risk industry.…
Read MoreVaccine Mandates – the Latest
On September 9th, The White House announced a COVID-19 Action Plan including a directive to OSHA: “The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing a rule that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to…
Read MoreEmployee Retention Tax Credit
Recent changes to the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) included as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, signed into law on March 11, 2021, expand the eligibility and the time businesses are able to claim the credit. The opportunity is now to claim this credit if you meet eligibility rules for…
Read MoreTop 5 HR Trends Facing Small Businesses, Part 1
To say things have changed in the workplace in the last 18 months would be an understatement. It’s not a matter of whether it was good or bad, change is inevitable. The companies that first understand this, and adapt to the changing environment, will stay or become successful, and create a stronger level of sustainability.…
Read MoreMay is Mental Health Awareness Month
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the mental health of people of all ages, and now more than ever it is critical to reducing the stigma around mental health struggles that commonly prevent individuals from seeking help. Mental health does not only affect the home life but work as well. I wish…
Read MoreEmployer Liability – The Devil is in the Details
As a California employer, it’s tough enough to manage running a business, dealing with employee issues, trying to comply with a myriad of HR laws on the books, navigating COVID-19 regulations, and just staying afloat. What is now facing employers, is a new level of employer liability spurred on by aggressive plaintiff attorneys taking advantage…
Read MoreYour PPP Loan Funds and Tax Deductibility
IRS Releases Guidance on Deducting Expenses Paid for with PPP Funds What may come as a shock, the IRS recently issued guidance on its position regarding the deductibility for expenses paid for using Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds received earlier this year by many businesses. Although the amount of loan forgiveness will not be counted…
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