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I spent this summer working at Group Management Services as their marketing intern, and I can surely say this experience has exceeded all my expectations. As I wrap up my 11-week program at GMS, the feelings have grown from scared and nervous to bittersweet and confident. Even though this is my last week at GMS, I know I am going back to school with more knowledge and new relationships because of the people and resources at GMS. 

I say “started from the bottom now we’re here” because coming in as a 19-year-old intern, I was anxious about how I would adapt to the professional world. I questioned if my manager would be able to trust me to get my work done – and I even thought I may not fit in – but I learned quickly that I am not alone in this process and GMS wants to do everything to make you successful in your career. 

I could write a whole book on everything I did this summer, but I will leave you with the biggest takeaways I have learned in my time at GMS.

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You might debate between internship opportunities.  There’s a chance that you’re intimidated to even apply for an internship. You most likely feel scared to start this kind of experience. These are all feelings I felt going through this process, along with many more. Just go for it! Take this opportunity and run, you will grow in many ways.

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This time last year, I would never dream that I would have an internship my first summer out of college. I barely knew what the purpose of an internship was. Of course, I saw interns in movies running around getting coffee and such, but I never really thought of it as much more than that.

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As a small business owner, a day off from work can be hard to come by. Nevertheless, come election day, flu season, or travel season, your employees will need a resource to turn to in order to know whether or not they have to show up for work. It’s important to include an employee leave policy in your employee handbook, so your employees understand the rules and expectations about the amount of time they’re allowed to be away from work. 

“There are so many different types of employee leave, and each bucket may require its own policies in the company handbook,” says Beth Milito, senior executive counsel at the National Federation of Independent Business’s (NFIB) Legal Center. 

When crafting employee leave policies, you should first check the employee leave laws in your state. Employee leave laws govern whether an employer must allow employees to take time off―either paid or unpaid―under a different number of circumstances, such as vacations, sick days, holidays, bereavement, and jury duty. Leave laws also address whether an employer must pay accrued leave to employees upon separation from employment.

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The first wave of minimum wage increases hit New Jersey employers July 1 after state legislators reached the deal earlier in the year. However, business owners need to prepare themselves for more than just this initial wage boost. Here’s what New Jersey employers need to know about New Jersey’s plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 – and why business owners across the country should pay attention.

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When you’re thinking of starting a business, your passion is ultimately what drives you to provide the best product or service. The first thing that comes to your head is not about the technology you need for payroll, or how you are going to recruit top talent. Need an employee handbook? “I’ll type something up real quick.” 

These are just a few of the many human resource topics you can easily put on the backburner without realizing the full scope of responsibilities you now carry as a business owner. As for the future of HR, it’s only getting more crucial for businesses to stay compliant with laws and stay protected.

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As concerns pile up, employee morale can go downhill quickly. Losing employees can be very challenging. The domino effect is real and immediate. Employees can feel a broad range of emotions: overwhelmed, resentful, left behind, envious, mad, sad. It’s hard to think strategically when you’re in reactive mode, so what do you do to be in proactive mode? 

Leaders who embrace change set a positive tone for everyone. Turnover should be expected. By having a process in place, you can leverage departures as an opportunity to grow and learn. Take a look at these five steps that can prevent high turnover.

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It’s no surprise that it’ll take a lot of questions to determine whether a job candidate is the right fit for your company. However, you may not know that there are quite a few interview questions that can land your company in trouble. 

One example of this is the city of Cincinnati’s new Salary Equity Ordinance, a measure that passed in 2019 and will take effect in March 2020. At that time, it will be illegal for employers in Cincinnati to ask about a job candidate’s pay history. This measure impacts any step of the hiring process, ranging from job ads to employee interviews.

While Cincinnati employers must adjust to the Salary Equity Ordinance, there are many other types of questions that are disallowed from the interview process across the country. An illegal question can lead to a variety of consequences, including a discrimination lawsuit or an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This means you’ll want to brush up on which interview questions can lead to EEOC complaints.

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Determining pay frequency can be challenging for business owners. While most employees prefer to be paid more often, a higher pay frequency can cost employers. Not to mention, there are federal and state laws that set standards for how employees are paid. That’s why exploring the different pay period options and federal and state payday laws is critical to help you choose the right pay frequency for your business and employees.

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A healthy and efficient workforce is paramount for business owners to keep operations running smoothly, yet injury in the workplace is all too common. According to the National Safety Council, a worker is injured on the job every seven seconds. It’s essential to create a culture of safety to minimize workplace injury as well as lower your workers’ compensation rates and limit violations for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Follow these workplace safety tips to build a more secure workplace for your company.

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