As a sales rep for a Professional Employer Organization, I have spent the last four years talking with business owners who were worried about the impact of the Affordable Care Act on their businesses and employees. In many cases, I helped them find a cost-effective solution that helped them gain control of one of their most uncontrollable costs. Sometimes, I didn’t. Sometimes, the uncertainty of the previous two election cycles caused them to freeze up, maintain their status quo and hope for the best.

Now, we are about to embark on the Donald Trump era. For many, this is a sign that the ACA is going away and they can go back to things as they were. Perhaps so, but were things all that great before?  

The reality is that it’s impossible to predict with any certainty what will happen in the next 12 months, let alone the next two years. A recent article on Smart Business’ website does have some thoughts on it that I would like to share and expand on.

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Employment Practices Liability Insurance is an often overlooked form of insurance coverage for small business owners, and many do not realize its significance until it’s too late. EPLI protects employers from employee liability damages and defense costs from claims brought by any employee alleging claims such as sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and retaliation.

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Happiness can be very lucrative for a business. Unfortunately, unhappy employees can hurt bottom line and make it harder for businesses to grow. Employee morale can be affected by a number of factors, including work conditions, coworkers, and personal matters, but regardless of the reason, disengaged workers can lead to future issues for business owners.

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Employers often wonder if a wellness program can truly fit into their workforce demographic. Every employee’s needs can vary depending on their job description and working environment. Nowadays, this could mean work that is sedentary office-based, labor intensive, extended shifts, travel, working from home, and more. The good news is that there is a way to provide specific information to any diverse demographic. 

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As your business grows, so will your team. Adding new employees is a big part of any business, but it can be a problem if you hire new people when your business isn’t ready to take on more staff. Here are some things you should think about when you’re considering hiring additional employees.

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The United States Construction Industry is sure to face some changes in the coming year, with the change of leadership and direction of the country. Regardless of your position, there has been a push for investment in this country’s infrastructure on both sides of the aisle.

President-elect Trump has mapped out a $1 trillion infrastructure plan with the help of Economic Advisors Peter Navarro and Wilbur Ross. They have broken down a 10-year plan, with the focus of funding coming from private entities. The idea is for these revenue generating projects (i.e. Utilities, toll roads, airports…etc.) to provide tax credits to the private investors to be counterbalanced by the employee and company taxes generated from these projects.

All parties have agreed on the need for investment into our infrastructure, which in turn, should generate more jobs in the construction industry across the country. That being the case, there are HR issues that need to be addressed through the industry to aid in this growth.

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Creating a startup venture is no easy task. Startups come in all shapes, sizes, and industries. Neil Blumenthal, cofounder and co-CEO of Warby Parker summarizes it best, saying, “A startup is a company working to solve a problem where the solution is not obvious and success is not guaranteed.”

According to Small Business Trends, almost half of small businesses don’t make it past the fourth year. These companies still aren’t in the clear, as Forbes estimates that the overall failure rate for startups falls between 80 and 90 percent.

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Self-improvement is a constant thought in most consumer’s minds and the advertising industry knows this all too well. “The weight loss industry is a 60-billion-dollar business” oversaturated with fitness gurus and companies advocating various fad diets and weight-loss products. However, these media-marketed solutions don’t stick and people end up feeling confused and frustrated.

Aside from the quick-fix mentality from the media, people are also growing tired of the “just eat less and move more” advice they may receive from their physicians and peers. However, professional wellness coaches, who are trained in behavior modification techniques, can help individuals bridge the gap between medical recommendations and the behaviors required to implement them.

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The holidays can be a lot of fun, but they can also lead to a lot of stress for business owners and employees. Between the family events and changing schedules, holiday season can be pretty hectic. Here are a few tips to help business owners come out on top.

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A federal judge has blocked the upcoming Department of Labor (DOL) overtime rule instituted by the Obama Administration. The rule was set to take effect Dec. 1, 2016, increasing the salary threshold for overtime eligibility from $23,660 to $47,476. This would have made any workers under the threshold eligible for overtime pay for over 40 hours worked per week. 

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