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  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that employers have until July 31st, 2022, to update employees’ Form I-9, if needed. Previously, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adopted a temporary policy in response to challenges individuals experienced with renewing documents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    If an employee presented an expired List B document between May 1st, 2021, and April 30th, 2022, employers are now required to update their Forms I-9. The following are considered List B documents that must be updated:

    • Driver’s license or ID card
    • School ID with a photograph
    • Voter’s registration card
    • U.S. military card or draft record
    • Military dependent’s ID card
    • And more

    Employees still employed must provide their employer with an unexpired document establishing their identity. No action is required if:

    • The employee is no longer employed
    • The List B document was automatically extended by the issuing authority, so it was considered not expired when presented. 

    Onboarding With GMS 

    You don’t have to worry about new rules and regulations when partnering with GMS. Our experts keep you up to speed on the latest legislative changes. We take your new hires through the onboarding process. Your new employees can easily submit any required forms and sign documents through our online portal, GMS Connect. Contact us today to learn more about how GMS can save you time and money.

  • As inflation continues to rise, many states have begun sending out aid to their taxpayers. Recently, over 14 states have approved a fourth stimulus check. However, this stimulus check will not follow the COVID-19 pandemic relief measures Americans have seen previously. These payments will exude a wide variety of monetary payouts and targeted locations. Government officials are aiming to ease the financial burdens brought on by COVID-19 and inflation.

    States That Are Eligible 

    According to Forbes Advisor, the 14 states that are eligible include:

    • California
    • Colorado
    • Delaware
    • Georgia
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois 
    • Indiana
    • Maine
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • Minnesota
    • South Carolina
    • Virginia

    Each state is providing ways that Americans can become eligible for relief payments. Learn more about the additional states that are currently working to get the stimulus approved.

    Additional Rebates

    Energy Rebate

    One way government officials have begun to step in is through the Gas Rebate Act of 2022. The act would rebate energy payments of $100 per month. This would be available to eligible taxpayers in all states by the end of 2022. Dependents would also be eligible for an additional $100 a month.

    The payment structure would be similar to the previous stimulus plans, which allow married filers to receive the full payment with incomes up to $150,000 and single filers earning up to $75,000. However, Congress is still discussing the possibility of offering payment plans in this manner.

    Tax Rebates

    The 14 states have initiated offering tax rebates to their residents which will vary in each state, based on the available funds. While each state is considering different ways for payout, many are doing so through tax rebates, passing bills, grocery tax cuts, and an additional budgeted surplus within the state.

    Frontline Workers

    States could potentially limit the fourth stimulus check to frontline workers. States will require a certain income standard or direct amount of time spent working with COVID-19 patients.

    Unemployed Workers

    In addition, states will also begin to limit the funds to unemployed workers between specific dates. This is for state residents who were not able to work due to COVID-19, without access to remote work.

    What’s Next For Americans

    With the additional measures being taken, there are many steps that go into this funding initiative. Legislators must push the relief through each state. While implementing gas rebates, tax stipends, and stimulus checks is beneficial to employees, there is still a concern about rising inflation. The additional rebates are going to be crafted by each state and have different requirements in which they will allocate the funds.

    Partner With Us

    When you partner with GMS, our HR experts can ensure you never miss out on a legislative change. As states continue to implement the fourth stimulus check, you won’t miss out on an update. GMS removes the liabilities that come along with running a business. Taxes, payroll, and additional services are streamlined for you and your employees. Contact us today.

  • According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, employers are now able to dive into an employee’s symptoms, should they call in sick. Employers may ask all employees who physically remain in the office if they have COVID-19 or symptoms associated with COVID-19.

    In addition, employers are allowed to measure employees’ body temperature. However, should an employee have a fever, it is required that the employer keep that information confidential under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

    Additional advice from the EEOC includes: 

    • The ADA can’t interfere with employers following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention of Public Health authorities. 
    • An employer may send an employee home if they have COVID-19 or symptoms. 
    • Employers may follow the CDC, state, and local public health authorities’ advice regarding the information needed to permit an employee’s return to the workplace after visiting a specified location, whether for business or personal reasons. 
    • Employers and employees “are encouraged to use interim solutions to enable employees to keep working as much as possible.”
    • Although some individuals with COVID-19 do not have fevers, employers may conduct medical exams after making a conditional employment offer. 
    • Employers may delay the start date of a new hire with COVID-19 or show symptoms of the disease. 
    • Employers can withdraw a job offer when the applicant needs to start immediately, but the individual has COVID-19 or symptoms. 

    Partner With GMS!

    The last thing you want is an employee to come to work with COVID-19 or symptoms. By following the new guidelines enforced by the EEOC, you are taking proactive steps to ensure the safety of your employees. When partnering with GMS, you are provided access to many benefits and resources to assist with these efforts. As part of our premier employee benefits administration services, we provide clients with access to Telehealth. Telemedicine can save you and your employees time and money by having access to a licensed physician virtually. Should your employees feel sick, they can call or video chat with a physician and investigate the root of the problem, ultimately limiting the exposure to COVID-19. Learn more.

  • Sexual harassment is defined by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as, “unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors and comments, jokes, acts, or other verbal or physical conduct that is of a sexual nature or directed at employees based on their sex.” Unfortunately, sexual harassment within the workplace is quite common.

    Studies show that 38 percent of women and 14 percent of men reported experiencing sexual harassment in their work environment. Knowing this, it’s vital to implement sexual harassment training within your business to ensure the safety of your employees.

    The Importance Of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

    By providing harassment prevention training, you’ll raise awareness throughout your business about what harassment is and how employees can contribute to a harassment-free workplace culture. It’s vital to create a workplace culture where employees feel supported. By educating employees, they’ll be able to understand better what sexual harassment is and how to identify it should it happen within their workplace.

    Unfortunately, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and a hostile work environment is an everyday reality for individuals. It’s never desirable to experience this type of behavior, but work is the last place where you would have to endure it.

    States Mandate Training

    Eight states and cities within the United States require businesses to provide sexual harassment training, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, New York, New York City, and Chicago. Click here to learn more about each state’s requirements. Let’s look at the state of California and the requirements employers must follow.

    Sexual Harassment Training In California

    In the state of California, any employer who has at least five employees must provide sexual harassment training. Additionally, every two years, all employees must complete the ongoing training. As a business owner, if you do not follow these requirements, you could face penalties for non-compliance, including:

    • Liability – the company can be held liable for harassment if prevention programs are not in place.
    • Employee complaints – employees can report companies for non-compliance.
    • Employee perceptions – employees may feel the company doesn’t care enough to provide training.

    How To Facilitate Training 

    Since sexual harassment prevention training is essential in ensuring the safety of your employees, determining the right resources to implement the training is important. A learning management system (LMS) is a fantastic resource that provides your business with educational courses, training programs, and learning and development programs. It provides your employees with easy, online access to learning portals to complete their ongoing training, including sexual harassment training.

    What Will You Do To Ensure The Safety Of Your Employees?

    Since every state has its own rules and regulations, it can be challenging for a business owner to keep track of everything. However, your employees’ safety should be at the top of your priority list. At GMS, we give businesses access to cutting-edge technology through our LMS, GMS Connect, and expert support so that your employees are set up to succeed. There are many lessons available for ensuring your employees’ safety in training programs, such as sexual harassment prevention. In addition, there are countless of other online programs your employees can take, including safety, general information about your business, and more. Get in touch with us today.

  • Implementing sexual harassment training within your business is imperative, as it creates safer workplaces for all employees. Unfortunately, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and a hostile work environment are everyday realities for individuals. Sexual harassment training serves many purposes, including education, compliance with laws, and risk mitigation. More and more state and local jurisdictions require employers to provide training.

    There are currently nine states/cities that mandate sexual harassment training in the workplace, including:

    California 

    Any employer with five or more employees must provide sexual harassment training. The following must be trained:

    • All employees
    • Supervisory employees must be trained for at least two hours
    • Non-supervisory employees must be trained for at least one hour

    Within six months of an employee’s hire date, nonsupervisory employees and supervisory employees must be trained. For part-time employees, training is required within the first 30 days of their hire date or within the first 100 hours worked. In addition, every two years, all employees must complete the ongoing training.

    Connecticut 

    Employers must provide sexual harassment training to their supervisors, regardless of size. An employer with three or more employees must provide training to all employees within six months of their hire date. Every 10 years, employees must repeat the training for at least two hours.  

    Delaware 

    Any employer that has 50 employees or more must provide sexual harassment training. All new hires must be trained within their first year of employment. In addition, all employees must be trained every two years. 

    Illinois 

    All employers with one or more employees must partake in sexual harassment training as soon as they’re employed. This training must recur every year to stay up-to-date with the newest training protocols. 

    Chicago 

    In Chicago, every employer must also provide their employees with a dedicated hour of bystander sexual harassment training annually. Employers have until June 30, 2023, to begin providing this training. Bystander training should include:

    • Employees recognizing situations of potential sexual harassment
    • Understanding institutional structures and cultural conditions that facilitate sexual harassment
    • Overcoming barriers to intervening
    • Identifying safe and effective intervention options
    • Taking action to intervene 

    Maine 

    An employer with 15 or more employees must train all employees. Training must be completed within the first year of a new hire or being promoted to a supervisor. There is no requirement on how frequently employers in Maine should partake in sexual harassment training.

    New York State 

    In New York, every employee must be trained as soon as they begin employment at your business. Additionally, ongoing training should be completed annually.

    New York City

    For employers with 15 or more employees in New York City, you must provide training to all employees within the first 90 days of their hire date. This training must be completed on an annual basis.

    Washington State

    Every hotel, motel, retail, security guard entity, or property services contractor that employs an “employee” must complete training as soon as they are hired. An “employee” in this case means an individual who spends most of their working hours alone, or whose primary work responsibility involves working without another coworker present, and who is employed by an employer as a janitor, security guard, hotel or motel housekeeper, or room service attendant. There is no requirement on how often the training must occur once the first training is completed.

    Invest In Proper Training To Ensure Workplace Safety

    Without a healthy and efficient workforce, business owners cannot keep operations running and thriving. Our experts will train your employees to ensure they follow safe workplace protocols. In addition, we provide clients with access to an employee learning management system where you can easily send new learning modules to your employees. This is an excellent source to implement ongoing training if your company is in a state that requires frequent training. To learn more about the benefits of implementing a learning management system, read our blog.

  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed the Family Bereavement Leave Act (FBLA) into law, amending the Illinois Child Bereavement Leave Act of 2016 (CBLA). Established in 2016, the Child Bereavement Leave Act was adopted giving employees 10 workdays of unpaid leave to grieve the loss of a child. However, the FBLA expands the scope of unpaid bereavement.

    Two Key Amendments 

    The adaptation of this law is a result of two major changes:

    • A clear definition of who is eligible for coverage
    • Inclusion of fertility-related loss as an acceptable reason an employee may use leave

    Who Is Eligible 

    Under the FBLA, employers must provide up to two weeks of unpaid leave to Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) -eligible employees grieving the loss of a family member or tragic event. The definition of covered family members was clarified including:

    • Spouse
    • Domestic partner
    • Sibling
    • Parent
    • Parent-in-law
    • Grandchild
    • Grandparent
    • Stepparent
    • Child

    Additional Leave

    The FBLA requires that employers now provide additional leave regarding negative fertility events:

    • Miscarriage
    • Still-birth
    • Failed adoption
    • Failed surrogacy
    • Negative fertility diagnosis 

    What Employers Need To Know

    Employers are not subject to adding additional unpaid leave other than what is stated under the FMLA. As an employer, you are permitted to request reasonable documentation to accept a leave request. However, you may not ask for details of the event linked to employee leave. If an employee wishes to use the FBLA, there must be a 48-hour notice to the employer. As with FMLA, employees will only become eligible after 12 months of employment or 1,250 hours worked.

    Why GMS

    State laws and regulations are ever-changing. When you partner with GMS, employers gain total administrative support through our HR experts. GMS ensures that through all changes, your business will remain compliant. Contact GMS today to discover how we simplify the administrative duties of your business.

  • The announcement that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade has prompted employers to revisit their employee benefits. This new court ruling declares that the federal constitutional right to abortion no longer exists. It ends federal protections and leaves the decisions up to each individual US state. Abortions will be rolled back in nearly half of the states immediately, with more restrictions to follow.

    To learn more about handling Roe v. Wade discussions in the workplace, check out our blog.

    Employers’ Responses

    In response, several companies released statements reaffirming their commitment to helping employees access health care services they may not be able to obtain in their state. The following are just some of the companies that have revisited their employee benefits/policies:

    • Starbucks
    • Tesla
    • Dick’s Sporting Goods
    • Patagonia 
    • Microsoft
    • JPMorgan Chase
    • Disney

    The companies above, along with others, have created policies covering expenses for travel if an employee were to need an abortion for various reasons.

    Prior to this overturn by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey taken by HR professionals. The following are key findings:

    • 32 percent of employers provide paid time off to access reproductive care.
    • 18 percent allow unpaid time off to attend marches, protests, demonstrations, and similar events to support reproductive rights.
    • 5 percent provide travel expense benefits outside of a health savings account (HSA) for employees to access abortion and reproductive services that aren’t accessible in their state of residence. 
    • 4 percent offer company matches for employee donations to groups that support reproductive rights. 

    What Impact Will You Have?

    As we continue to learn more about the impacts the overturn will have on individuals, it’s essential to make sure your employees feel heard. What steps will you take as a business owner to ensure your employees feel valued during challenging times? By partnering with GMS, our experts can update your employee handbook with new policies. In addition, we provide businesses with various tools and resources to find a coverage solution tailored to your needs. Interested in learning more about how GMS can be a resource to you? Contact us today.

  • Chicago, Illinois is now requiring employers to update their employee harassment policies and training. These policies must be implemented by July 1st, 2022. All companies with at least one employee will be required to comply with the new amendments put in place by the Municipal Code and Human Rights Ordinance. Within these changes, sexual harassment posters, policies, record keeping, and mandatory workforce training must be implemented.

    What Employers Need To Know

    By July 1, employers must have each of these amended policies updated in their handbook. Within their policies, it must state that sexual harassment and or retaliation against a reported allegation are illegal within the state of Illinois. More required adjustments include:

    • Updated state definitions of harassment 
    • Annual employee training
    • Implement a reporting system with applicable forms 
    • Recordkeeping alleged claims 
    • Provide government services 

    Additionally, Chicago employers are required to display new posters in one or more common areas. New posters have been published by the Chicago Commission on Human Relations in a Spanish and English version.

    What is The Policy 

    Sexual harassment policies must be made available in employees’ primary language. Chicago legislators expanded the definition of sexual harassment, which states, “Sexual harassment means any (i) unwelcome sexual advances or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature or (ii) requests for sexual favors or conduct of a sexual nature when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for any employment decision affecting the individual; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment; or (iii) sexual misconduct, which means any behavior of a sexual nature which also involves coercion, abuse of authority, or misuse of an individual’s employment position.”

    Prevention Training

    The training must now include one hour of sexual harassment prevention for all employees. However, this is extended for supervisors and managers, which provides a second one-hour bystander training. These trainings are required to be completed by June 30, 2023, and again annually.

    The state provides pieces of training through CCHR modules which will be in effect by July 1. However, employers can make changes or develop their own related to their industry.

    Failure To Implement 

    Employers must establish a system to retain the proof of completed courses. In addition, they must also have records showing they remained compliant in adapting the policy changes to their business. Failure to maintain records may result in fines up to $1,000 per day. Fines for violations of sexual harassment within the workplace have increased to $5,000 – $10,000 per violation.

    How GMS Can Help

    As a business owner, implementing changing regulations can be overwhelming. When you partner with GMS, you can ensure your business will remain compliant. In the event of rapid regulatory changes, our HR experts will always keep you up to date and handle your business’s adjustments with ease. Contact GMS today to learn more!

  • House Bill 6173 has been recently introduced to the public. If this bill gets passed, it will end the immunity that was granted in 2020 legislation that stated:

    “An employer is not liable… for an employee’s exposure to COVID-19 if the employer was operating in compliance with federal, state, and local statutes, rules and regulations, executive orders, and agency orders related to COVID-19 that had not been denied legal effect at the time of the exposure.”

    Michigan lawmakers will be considering this bill that will ultimately, expire the legal immunity given to employers who follow workplace safety regulations and whose employees contract COVID-19.

    Stay In The Know

    Since the beginning of COVID-19 in 2020, business owners have always been on the lookout for ever-changing laws and regulations. Let GMS experts keep you up-to-date on these laws so you don’t have to. Learn more on how GMS can help you and your business.

  • Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, business operations have never been the same, and workplace cultures continue to evolve. Employees transitioned to working from home and having to adapt to a new way of doing business. In fact, many employees working from home claim they feel more productive, maintaining a robust work-life balance.

    However, it might not be as glamorous for the employer. There has been a rise in employee lawsuits demanding reimbursement for expenses acquired while working from home during the pandemic. Remote workers say that their employers have a legal obligation under state law to reimburse them for work-related expenses.

    Employees are requesting reimbursement for the following:

    • Cellphone
    • Internet
    • Supplies
    • Utility bills
    • Home office stipends 

    What This Means For The Future

    Finally, after two-plus years in a pandemic, business owners have requested that their employees return to the office. However, hiring new employees is at an all-time high. As a result, keeping and attracting quality talent is essential for the growth of one’s business. Since working from home is popular among employees, offering it as an option for employment will attract top candidates. 1,700 workers were surveyed, and the results showed that 48 percent of the workers said they would seek a remote position for their next job.

    With these lawsuits in many states, it’s vital that you observe what your employees want and how to create a solution that benefits both them and your business.

    Currently, no federal laws require you to reimburse your remote workers unless the expenses drop below the employees’ minimum wage. A 2022 survey showed that 62 percent of organizations currently offer employees reimbursement for at-home office or work equipment. For employers that offer reimbursement for business expenses, utilizing expense management software can help streamline the process. Employees are able to itemize and upload receipts directly into the system for the administrator’s approval.

    Should you choose to reimburse your remote workers, ensure you are clearly defining your reimbursement policy. Keep a file of every expense and reimbursement to avoid disputes in the future. An expense report system is an additional tool that will allow you to track all business-related purchases including travel, gas, meals, hotel and lodging, and more for a simplified expense reporting process.

    Protect Your Business

    In today’s unprecedented times, it’s difficult to stay on top of your daily tasks while wearing multiple hats. How can you be proactive and create future plans at the same time? When you partner with GMS, our experts are there to guide you through challenging times and ensure you stay compliant, all while keeping your employees happy. Our HR experts will work with you to update your employee handbook to ensure there are no discrepancies between what your employees may expect versus what you offer. We take on the administrative burdens, so you don’t have to. Contact us today.