We finally made it through year-end, year-beginning, the first quarter…phew. Time to catch our breath and do a little spring cleaning. Sometimes that can be pretty intimidating (looking in your direction, garage-stuffed-to-the-rafters-with-junk), but getting your human resources department in order might be a little easier with these tips.
Convert Paper Files to Electronic Ones
If you’re still keeping paper records for employees, especially for things like licensures and accreditations, why not take a few hours on a typical rainy April day and make sure all your data is uploaded to iSolved? Not only can you save scans of paper documents, but you can actually manage all the data contained in those documents and track certificate and license expiration dates to make sure that all of your employees keep their accreditations current. Contact our training department if you need help getting started.
Update Compliance Posters
Make sure that all of your required HR compliance posters that you’ve got posted are up to date. It’s easy to forget that yellowed Job Safety & Health Protection poster that’s in the break room of a loading dock at your satellite office, but it’s important to keep all required posters revised as necessary, at all your locations, to avoid costly penalties and even employee lawsuits. If you need help procuring posters, let us know!
Clean Out Applicant Files
Hopefully, you’re using iSolved Hire to keep your application data organized and in compliance with EEO and OFCCP laws. But if you do happen to have any paper resumes or applications filed away, now’s a good time to get rid of any that you don’t need anymore. You must retain application records for at least one year after a job is posted to comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the ADA. If you’re a government contractor and have 150 employees or more and a contract of over $150,000, that number shoots up to two years. A safe rule of thumb for everybody is to shred non-hired applicant records after two years.
Update Employee Handbook
Most experts agree that your employee handbook should be reviewed on a yearly basis to make sure you’re in compliance with current federal and state labor laws. Omissions, clumsy wording, and outdated policies are an open invitation for lawsuits in the future. Need help reviewing or drafting your employee handbook? Contact us to give you access to services from our friends at HR Answerlink, who have certified human resources professionals ready to guide you.
As always, let us know if you need any help cleaning up your HR processes for the coming year. You’re on your own with that garage, though.