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  • We’ve discussed how to have a successful onboarding process for remote workers, what you should ask yourself before considering remote work for your employees, and how to manage your remote team more effectively. Now, it’s time to take a deep dive into how you can ensure a secure cyber environment for this class of workers.

    A report showed that 20% of organizations experienced a security breach in their system because of a remote worker. A security breach is any incident that results in unauthorized access to computer data, applications, networks, or devices. In addition, it was revealed that the average data breach cost increased by over $1 million whenever remote work was a factor. The importance of having the proper software to protect your employees from a breach is critical. Cyber attackers are becoming smarter and smarter, and as an employer, you must stay up to speed with technological advancements, especially among your virtual workers.

    Secure Your Employees’ Remote Work Environment

    You must take additional precautions to ensure a secure work environment when you have remote employees. With nearly one-half to two-thirds of U.S. employees working at least part of their time remotely, what will you do as an employer to help these employees protect at-home networks? Consider the following tips:

    • Install security software: This is a perfect starting point if this hasn’t been implemented from the beginning. This software prevents malware, viruses, phishing attempts, and other potential threats.
    • Connect to a virtual private network (VPN): A VPN allows remote employees to become an extension of the network as if they’re in the office with the same security and connectivity benefits.
    • Use a router that’s up to date: The longer a router ages, the more likely it is to be compromised by cyber hackers who are ready to steal and monetize your data.
    • Enable encryption: Data encryption is a computing process that encodes plaintext/cleartext into ciphertext accessible only by authorized users with the right cryptographic key. It adds a layer of protection for businesses and remote workers.
    • Adhere to a strong password policy: Long and complex passwords offer a valuable method of protecting computing resources. If you have easily guessed passwords, they’re more likely to get attacked. Strong passwords protect your accounts and devices from unauthorized access, keeping your employees’ sensitive personal information as safe as possible. A strong password is hard to guess, but it should be easy to remember. Consider utilizing the following characteristics of a strong password:
      • At least 12 characters 
      • A mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters 
      • Use letters and numbers
      • Include at least one unique character 
    • Train your employees: To minimize the risk of a cyber-attack, your first line of defense is implementing employee training. Utilizing a learning management system (LMS) to implement training courses periodically or have company-wide training is a critical step in creating a secure cyber environment. 
    • Use multi-factor authentication (MFA): MFA is an authentication method that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource such as an application, online account, or a VPN. It ultimately enhances your organization’s security by requiring users to identify themselves with more than a username or password.

    Brett Kowalski, GMS’ IT Director, expresses, “Enhancing your company’s cyber security is extremely important in today’s business environment. With many employees working remotely, it’s essential that companies ensure that remote workers have secure methods to access their company’s data. Using multi-factor authentication and other security login protocols is crucial. When employees connect from all over the world, having a secure login process can help prevent the potential of a cyber-attack.”

    GMS Can Protect Your Business

    As remote work continues to dominate the workforce, new cyber risks have emerged. As a business owner, it’s time to think outside the box and consider utilizing a professional employer organization (PEO) such as GMS. When you partner with GMS, we can help develop and implement policies and procedures that address remote work and cyber security. This can include guidelines for using personal devices, correctly accessing company data, and reporting security incidents. In addition, we can provide cyber security training to employees to help them identify and prevent cyber threats such as phishing, scams, malware, and social engineering attacks using our LMS. Interested in learning more about how GMS can protect your business and employees? Get a quote now.

  • Earlier this month, the Michigan House voted to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections for the LGBTQ community. Senate Bill Four passed with a vote of 64 in favor after passing in the Michigan Senate. The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act substantially advanced the state’s effort to eliminate discrimination in employment, education, housing, public service, real estate transactions, and the use of public accommodations and to secure equal opportunity for all. This was a historic high point in Michigan’s tradition of protecting civil rights in 1976. Since then, amendments have further expanded the Act.

    Understanding Senate Bill Four

    Senate Bill Four explicitly includes protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Ultimately, the bill would stop someone from hiring, evicting, or otherwise discriminating against individuals because they are LGBTQ. Sexual orientation is defined as “having an orientation for heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, or having a history of such an orientation or being identified with such an orientation” in this bill. Gender identity is defined as “having or being perceived as having a gender-related self-identity or expression whether or not associated with an individual’s assigned sex at birth.” The bill now heads to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

    What The Bill Means For Employers

    As we wait for Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s vote, employers need to understand their responsibility. If the law passes and takes effect, employers could face repercussions if they are found to have discriminated against LGBTQ applicants or employees. This includes the following:

    • Rejecting job candidates 
    • Terminating their employment
    • Any other unfavorable workplace actions

    Alongside repercussions under this new law, employers could face civil lawsuits if they are found harassing employees based on their LGBTQ status. If the governor signs the bill into law, it will take effect 90 days later, so you must begin preparing now. While you may already have policies prohibiting sexual-orientation discrimination and gender identity discrimination in employment, now is the time to revisit those policies and see if any changes need to be made. Consider reviewing and revising the following:

    • Workplace policies and practices 
    • Managerial training materials
    • Employee antidiscrimination and anti-harassment training sessions
    • Interview and hiring protocols
    • Benefits offerings

    Alyse Kimble, GMS’ Training and Development Coordinator explained, “Good training teaches employees and managers that they have the right to work in a workplace free of discrimination and harassment. It also demonstrates an employer’s adherence to the laws and policies that prohibit that discrimination. Having a learning management system (LMS) platform that automates these trainings for easy assignment and tracks progress and completion is key for busy HR managers and business owners to ensure that their managers and staff are adhering to discrimination laws.”

    Prepare Now With GMS

    While GMS helps you stay compliant with ever-changing rules and regulations associated with your business, we do so much more than that. When implementing new laws, we ensure you follow every aspect of that law. If this new law in Michigan is passed, our HR experts will look at your employee handbook to determine what policies you have in place to protect the LGBTQ community and what we can do to improve these policies. In addition, utilizing an LMS is one of the best resources to train and educate your workforce on this topic. Your employees are your biggest asset. Let’s protect them together and ensure a compliant business starting today. Contact us to learn more.

  • Earlier this month, the California Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board (OSHAB) announced that outdoor job sites must contain accessible potable drinking water. Water must be placed within close proximity to where employees work. It was determined that outdoor workplace drinking water must be located “as close as practical” to areas where employees are working, which encourages frequent hydration.

    On February 6th, 2023, OSHAB clarified that the term “as close as practicable” in terms of providing water to prevent heat illness means that the water must be as close as reasonably can be accomplished to encourage frequent water consumption. Millions of U.S. workers are exposed to heat in their workplaces or job sites. Although exposure to heat is preventable, thousands become sick from occupational heat exposure every year, and in some cases, it’s fatal. Most outdoor fatalities, 50% to 70%, occur in the first few days of working in warm or hot environments because the body needs to gradually tolerate the heat over time. The Occupational Medicine and Wellness center states that workers should drink five to seven ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes to prevent dehydration.

    Help Your Employees!

    If you have employees that are working endless hours outside, especially in the heat, it’s essential that you take steps to prevent them from getting injured on the job. Providing your workers with easy access to water while on the job site is one of the easiest steps you can take to protect your workers. Our safety experts ensure you remain compliant and take every step possible to protect your biggest asset – your employees. Interested in learning more? Contact us today.

  • As a business owner, it’s essential that you create a safe work environment for your employees. A safe and healthy workplace protects your workers from injury and illness while also doing the following: 

    • Lowers injury/illness costs
    • Reduces absenteeism and turnover
    • Increases productivity and quality 
    • Raises employee morale

    The number of preventable work deaths increased by nine percent in 2021, totaling 4,472. In addition, there were over two million non-fatal workplace incidents in 2020. As we near the end of the first quarter of 2023, consider your efforts to prevent workplace injuries and areas that need improvement.

    An Example For Reference

    What better way to spread awareness for workplace safety than sharing a story of a company that was unfortunately faced with hefty penalties? Three workers at Wright Tool Company, a leading tool manufacturer in Barberton, Ohio, suffered injuries from unguarded machinery. These incidents triggered an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection, which led to $164,742 in proposed fines. Wright Tool Company has forged to finish the highest quality hand tools by hardworking Americans for even harder working professionals.

    The latest injury occurred on October 26th, 2022, when an employee suffered a thumb amputation when hand-feeding parts into a drill press using air-activated clamps. The other injuries occurred in December 2020 and June 2022 when both workers performed similar job duties and suffered laceration injuries. The company was cited for one willful violation of machine guarding standards, two serious, and one other-than-serious violation. On top of that, Wright Tool Company also failed to do the following:

    • Conduct hazard assessments to identify personal protective equipment needs and other requirements
    • Did not test energy control procedures at least annually
    • Did not train every employee to ensure they understood hazardous energy control procedures 
    • Enclose shafting

    What Now?

    Unfortunately, Wright Tool Company will have to pay $164,742 to OSHA for failing safety protocols. If they had taken proactive steps and improved their safety measures, these accidents could have been prevented. Partnering with a professional employer organization (PEO) like GMS will ensure that an accident similar to this won’t happen within your business. Many small business owners struggle to stay ahead of the risks associated with workers’ compensation and workplace hazards. Employers don’t need to settle for high compensation costs and issues from OSHA. When you partner with us, we simplify your administrative needs and create a culture of workplace safety, all while helping you save money. You ultimately gain a partner that enables you to take a proactive approach to address immediate issues and prevent potential problems in the future.

    Scott Lenigan, GMS’ Safety Coordinator III, expressed, “You gain a partner with a safety staff with a wealth of experience in all industries. Our services include safety program audits, workplace training, job site visits, accident and injury investigations, and help with required recordkeeping. In addition, our team has vast experience in the OSHA investigation process, being your advocate from the initial investigation to an informal conference to appeal any citations. Our team provides you with the tools to take a proactive approach to address immediate issues and prevent potential problems in the future.”

    Let’s not make the same mistakes this company made. Contact us today!

  • As a small business owner, you wear many hats, from managing payroll to ensuring the safety of your employees; you do it all. As technology advances, phishing attacks have become more prominent, especially for small business owners. Phishing is a type of social engineering attack often used to steal user data, including login credentials and credit card numbers. It typically occurs when an attack dupes a victim into opening an email, instant message, or text message. The recipient is then tricked into clicking a malicious link which can lead the attacker to install malware. Malware freezes the system as part of a ransomware attack revealing sensitive information. A report showed that in the middle of 2022, the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) observed 1,270,883 total phishing attacks.

    Understanding The Effects Of Phishing On Your Business

    Small businesses are a popular target for phishing attacks because they often have smaller cybersecurity budgets and weaker security measures in place. A phishing attack has overwhelming results. Should it happen to an individual, it can include unauthorized purchases, stealing of funds, or identity theft. If a business is attacked, you could sustain severe financial losses, reputation, consumer trust, legal action, and regulatory penalties. As a small business owner, you don’t have the time or expertise to handle a situation at this level.

    There are many tactics that these cybercriminals utilize when attacking a small business. Most commonly seen is an email sent out which appears to be from a legitimate source, such as a financial institution or vendor you frequently do business with. Within the email, there’s a link that redirects an employee to a fake website where they’re asked to enter personal or financial information. These phishing emails are used to install malware on your business’s network or carry out a ransomware attack. Once the malware is installed on your network, it can access your business data and systems. I think you can guess what happens next.

    How To Prevent Phishing Attacks

    While these cyber attackers are very smart and good at what they do, phishing attacks are avoidable if you know how to identify and prevent them correctly. Understand the following tips for identifying and preventing phishing scams:

    • Know what a phishing scam looks like
    • Don’t click on links unless you are 100% sure what they are – The safest way is to enter the website in your own browser
    • Get free anti-phishing add-ons
    • Don’t give your information to an unsecured site
    • Rotate passwords regularly
    • Don’t ignore updates
    • Install firewalls
    • Don’t be tempted by pop-ups 
    • Don’t give out vital information via email
    • Have a data security platform to spot signs of an attack

    The Benefits Of Partnering With GMS

    While you can take the above steps to prevent phishing attacks within your business, partnering with Group Management Services (GMS) will provide you with additional resources. The first and most crucial step when preventing these attacks is education. When you partner with GMS, you gain access to our learning management system (LMS). Within this system, you and your employees can take continued education courses on what phishing looks like and additional measures you should be taking.

    Brett Kowalski, GMS’ IT Director, stated, “Having a strong cybersecurity program in place should be a top priority for business owners in today’s climate. Educating your workforce is the key to protecting your company’s data as well as preventing potential attacks. The hackers are getting increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to obtain information, which is why business owners must invest in a credible program or service offering to stay on top of the current trends within cybersecurity.”

    Interested in learning more? Contact us today.

  • As you may expect, conflict in the workplace can be a severe issue for a small business. Unresolved conflicts among workers can create a challenging working environment for those involved and those witnessing the dispute. These issues also have a direct impact on the financial well-being of your business. However, certain types of conflict can facilitate growth. It allows us to explore new perspectives and understand different points of view. Of course, resolving the issue quickly is essential so productivity can continue uninterrupted.

    According to a report published by the University of New Mexico, the collective cost of unresolved conflicts can be as high as $300 billion annually for businesses across the country. Other analyses peg the figure at approximately $359 billion in lost revenue.

    Without a way to resolve contentious relationships, you’re inadvertently increasing the risk of developing a dysfunctional workforce that hurts your business in the long run. It’s time to break down the root causes of employee conflicts and how your business can resolve them.

    What Causes Workplace Conflicts?

    Conflict in the workplace can originate from any number of sources. It could be something as simple as a department manager being rude to a new hire or an employee who feels like they’re not treated fairly by their colleagues. At its worst, the root of the conflict can be something such as blatant harassment or inappropriate, lewd behavior.

    Hot-button topics are also notorious for creating unnecessary conflicts at work. The crux of the problem could be anything from political opinions to which sports franchise has more clout. The trick is to have a strategic conflict resolution plan to solve the problem.

    Conflict in the workplace is inevitable, and it can have a serious impact on your business. Here are some of the most common causes of conflict in the workplace:

    • Conflicting goals or expectations that aren’t communicated clearly
    • Lack of communication between employees
    • Poor management skills or leadership style
    • Distrust between employees
    • Mistakes made by individual members of a team

    Five Steps To Resolving Workplace Conflicts

    First, knowing what kind of conflict you’re dealing with is important. There are many different types of conflict that can happen at work or in any other situation where people interact regularly. Some conflicts may be a mere misunderstanding, while others can result in a culture of bullying and harassment. Neither should be taken lightly, but it’s safe to say the latter should be met with a swift response.

    It’s important to have a plan that helps you handle conflict and help everyone work towards a common goal – growing the company and furthering its success. Use the following steps to address conflicts before it’s too late.

    1. Meet with the conflicting parties

      Defining the root cause of the conflict is the first, and arguably most difficult, step. It’s critical to discover how the issue got to this point in the first place. Meeting with the conflicting parties can help you get both sides of the story and identify if the problem is easy to address or will require a more detailed response.

      These meetings should happen in a private, neutral setting. Both parties need to have their voices heard so that each of them acknowledges the other’s perspective. You’ll also want to play the role of an active listener. Ensure both parties know you’re paying attention and obtain as much information as possible to help them come to a reasonable solution.

    2. Investigate the conflict following the meeting

      Following the meeting, it’s always wise to investigate the integrity and the validity of each party’s explanation of how the conflict started in the first place. Often, you’ll discover that the root of the problem is nothing more than a usual misunderstanding between two dedicated, passionate, and career-minded professionals.

    3. Determine ways to truly resolve the conflict and meet a common goal for all parties

      The next step involves a fair amount of creativity on your part. You have to think outside of the box and brainstorm ways to manage and ultimately resolve the issue once and for all.

      This process may require additional communication, investigation, and planning. Don’t be afraid to sit down with both individuals again to openly discuss ways to manage and resolve the conflict. Use this brainstorming session to come up with ideas to de-escalate the situation and come to a conclusion that benefits everyone.

    4. Develop a conclusion

      Once you gather all the information, you can finally decide on the extent of the issue, how the conflict began, how it escalated, and what everyone can do today to put the negativity to rest finally.

      The idea is to lay out a clear plan of action to find common ground and focus on the task at hand: working towards the same goal and furthering the company’s success as an efficient team of skilled professionals. Once this plan is in place, communicate it with the individuals so that they can put an end to the ordeal.

    5. Decide on preventative strategies for the future

      The last step is ensuring this particular conflict doesn’t happen again. Evaluate the situation to see if this conflict can rear its ugly head again. If so, create an action plan to not only avoid conflicts but also quickly address them in the future if they do occur.

    Tips For Approaching Workplace Conflict

    Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable. It’s just a matter of when, where, and how they will occur. Here are some tips to help you manage conflict resolution in the workplace:

    • Understand where the conflict came from: Is it between you and another employee? With your manager? Or did it come from a customer or client? The key is knowing who is involved in having an effective resolution process.
    • Figure out what kind of conflict it is: Are you dealing with a disagreement over ideas or resources? This can help determine how best to resolve the issue at hand.
    • Find out if there are any other issues at stake here: This might include financial issues or personal concerns that need to be addressed as part of solving this problem together and any other factors that may affect its outcome, such as company policy.
    • Develop a conflict resolution plan: If you don’t already have a system in place to resolve conflicts, now is the time to develop one. That plan should detail who should be included (HR, managers…etc.) in the resolution process and the steps you’ll take based on the severity of the conflict.
    • Look for common ground: You don’t want to get caught up in small details when resolving your issue because it can lead to even more problems later. If not addressed effectively, things could escalate further!
    • Don’t make assumptions: When emotions are running high, it’s easy for things to get out of hand quickly—and before you know it, someone has said something regrettable. Don’t make assumptions when it comes to conflict.
    • Hear out all parties involved: Nothing ignites a conflict more than feeling like you’re not heard. Regardless of who may be at fault, listen to all parties with compassion and understanding.
    • Work together: Brainstorm solutions and ways to avoid conflicts like this in the future. This will help create a positive environment for discussion and help prevent things from escalating too quickly into an argument.

    Six Ways Small Businesses Can Minimize Conflict

    While some conflict is inevitable, there are ways to minimize the likelihood of workplace disputes. There are a variety of strategies small businesses can utilize to protect themselves and their employees from these issues.

    Establish written rules and clearly defined company policies

    A good policy will make the conflict resolution process smoother when issues arise. Use your employee handbook to lay out clear guidelines about employee conduct and expectations for individuals within your company. These ground rules will help set the tone for what is and isn’t acceptable and clearly describe the consequences and next steps for misbehavior.

    Hire the right people

    The right employees will be less likely to create conflict. It’s important to not only hire people with the right skills but also a good temperament for your business. You can also conduct background checks to try and identify any red flags that may cause problems in the future. Spend some time to properly vet each prospective employee to minimize the chances of conflict in the future.

    Provide management training

    Another way to minimize the impacts of conflict is better management training. You can’t be everywhere at once throughout the day, so you entrust your management team to be your eyes and ears. Training managers and other appropriate personnel on established policies and identifying brewing conflicts can help your business quell minor issues before they grow into severe problems.

    Create a fair grievance process

    Poor communication is a problem. A fair grievance process is an effective problem-solving tool that allows employees to feel heard and managers to identify the source of conflict before it becomes a bigger issue.

    No matter what policies you put in place, the process needs to be transparent and equitable. The same standards should apply to management and workers. This process will keep everyone accountable to each other and quickly soothe exasperated employees.

    Feedback

    Feedback is what brings the resolution process back to the beginning. You may spend a tremendous amount of time making written procedures and policies – and for good reason – but there’s still plenty to overlook.

    Give employees a way to provide feedback so that they share ideas on how to make the workplace a better place, whether that’s an anonymous tip line or a company email address. This feedback loop can help you fine-tune your policies for your workforce and, hopefully, put petty fights and arguments to rest.

    Protect Your Business From Conflict

    Workplace tension is a recipe for lost productivity and heated arguments. However, it’s not always easy to put conflict resolution strategies into place by yourself. GMS has the human resource experts to provide you with the tools and support you need to manage employee relationships.

    Ready to make your business simpler, safer, and stronger? Contact GMS today about how we can support your business through dedicated service and support.

  • If you’re currently running a business, one of the most important aspects to consider is what your rules, policies, and expectations are. You wear many hats, and setting expectations through word-of-mouth or meetings simply doesn’t cut it when managing employees effectively. The likelihood of your employees remembering these various policies is slim and may lead to misunderstandings or confusion. For this to work, you need a solid system in place to deliver such information. That’s where an effective employee handbook steps in.

    You may think you don’t have time to create an employee handbook, however, creating one is essential to the success of your small business. An employee handbook is a set of guidelines for your employees and a great tool to help maintain company culture and keep expectations in check.

    Why Your Small Business Needs An Employee Handbook

    An employee handbook is a living, breathing document and a foundation for your employee relations efforts. It should be a carefully considered compilation of policies and procedures to help managers guide employees in their daily tasks. This handbook serves as a hub of information that your employees can reference at any time, be it allotted time off, your company dress code, or workplace safety policies. It not only protects your business, but it protects your employees, provides valuable resources to your team, and may even serve as a legal document in case of litigation.

    Writing an employee handbook might seem like something that only occurs at large corporations with many employees, but it’s a good place for any business to start. Employee handbooks are beneficial for any company as they establish your company’s core values and culture.

    If you have been operating your small business for a while, chances are you’ve experienced turnover. This could be due to a myriad of reasons, such as budget constraints, family commitments, or simply personal choice. No matter the reason employees may leave, it’s critical that you document your business policies in the event that they will need retraining in the future.

    Elements Of An Effective Small Business Employee Handbook

    Your small business is an extension of yourself, so it makes sense to consider how you would like it to be represented by your employees. When discussing your employee handbook, you’ll want to think about what kind of language you’re comfortable with. What tone will you take? Will deadlines for different tasks be made explicit? The elements of an effective employee handbook include the following:

    Good organization

    You want your document to be easy to read, easy to understand, and laid out for success. A well-organized handbook is going to be key in these areas. A table of contents at the beginning of this document will help with navigation and ensure that you don’t miss any key components. Adding headers, bullet points, and well-defined sections is key when creating a lengthy document.

    Thoroughness

    Another crucial component: covering all your bases. Your handbook shouldn’t leave anything to the imagination. You’ll want to be concise and clear, especially when it comes to policies and legalities.

    A proper representation of your brand or business

    Your handbook should be an accurate representation of who and what your company is. This includes company values, culture, and mission. A handbook is a place to ensure that rules are being followed, sure. But it’s also a place where you can talk about how you reward your employees and include exciting information. For example, if your business offers unique perks such as seasonal sports tickets or a home office stipend, you can mention these more in-depth in your handbook.

    Inclusion of your brand tone and voice

    Lastly, your handbook should sound like you. Not sure what we mean? Every business or brand has a tone of voice. For some, that may mean a very professional-sounding document, but for others, casual may be the way to go. Any important document is an extension of your business, and because of that, it should be branded! Even if it will only be used for internal purposes.

    What To Include In Your Employee Handbook

    Creating a clear and concise handbook for your employees, that’s easy to read and understand can keep them motivated, focused, and engaged. The first time many employees will read your handbook is when they are hired — so your handbook may be one of their first impressions of your business as an employee. But what should this document include? Some handbook contents may be optional, while others are non-negotiable.

    Employment at-will

    Employment at-will is a legal understanding that allows an employer to dismiss an employee at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all. It also means the employee is free to leave at any time as well. Typically, at-will employment exists for a 90-day period. This way, either the employee or employer can part ways if the role isn’t a good fit. Employment laws in some states and countries allow this kind of employment, and your business may be one of them. If that’s the case, this should be included in your employee handbook.

    Harassment and bullying

    If you want a happy and motivated workforce, harassment and bullying will not be tolerated. Many companies think their employees know their behavior is inappropriate, but that isn’t true. In fact, an estimated 48.6 million Americans are bullied at work. Effective organizations should have a clearly defined and communicated employee code of conduct that distinguishes unacceptable from acceptable workplace conduct.

    Equal employment practices

    The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin in companies that have at least fifteen employees and work for the Federal government. There are separate laws with similar objectives at the state level. In all countries, there are also laws to prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace. A company’s employee handbook can be used to keep track of all rules, regulations, policies, and procedures regarding Equal Employment Opportunities.

    Compensation and benefits

    Your employee handbook is the perfect place to break down how compensation works at your company and what benefits you offer to your team. Even if all your employees are paid different wages, knowing where they can access compensation information or whom they can speak to about these matters is a priority.

    Pay period and payroll

    Every business does payroll differently. You may be on a biweekly schedule, weekly, or even monthly, so it’s important to distinguish these details in your handbook. Here you can also provide information on how employees are paid and whom to contact if there are payroll issues.

    Dress code

    Dress code may not matter for all industries, but for some, it’s a major touchpoint. Being clear about your dress code clears up any confusion and informs your employees on what wardrobe they’ll need to be successful at work.

    Performance evaluations

    Performance evaluations are a key component of a job; however, it can be easy to forget about them amidst the hustle and bustle of work tasks. Be sure to include your evaluation schedules in your handbook, whether they’re twice a year, quarterly, or yearly. This will help your employees be prepared and set reasonable expectations from day one.

    Work hours, breaks, and scheduling

    For some roles, tasks may need to be performed outside regular business hours due to the nature of the job and/or deadlines. In these cases, overtime may be required. In addition, employees are entitled to scheduled break periods in addition to lunch breaks. Breaks will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed and must last at least five minutes under federal law. Meal breaks are typically an hour long, with a 30-minute minimum allowed by law (unless otherwise negotiated with the employee). These details are best presented in your handbook, where employees can access this information at any time.

    Vacation time, sick days, and leaves of absence

    Similar to work hours and breaks, clarifying how much vacation time and sick days your employees are allotted helps with planning purposes. If you have a system where hours are accrued over the course of a pay period, be sure to mention this in your handbook. Leaves of absence can also be a tricky subject with its own set of stipulations, so explaining how to begin this process can aid your employees in the event of health emergencies and life circumstances.

    Workplace safety policies

    The dangers of the workplace, and more specifically, employee safety, are significant issues that help employees, employers, and society as a whole. For any company, it’s important to ensure your employees are properly trained in safety procedures and informed on how to correctly protect themselves from workplace injuries and the policies in place to protect them.

    Employee discipline and termination policies

    There are many reasons why employers need to have policies in place that address employee discipline and termination. However, human resources can be a difficult area to navigate. Making your policies known in your handbook protects you in these cases.

    How To Get Started

    You may have all your policies and work regulations in place but may not know how to get started with making your own employee handbook. Plus, you may not have a dedicated HR department in place, which means that you must take the lead when it comes to setting it up. Appointing who will have a role in the creation process is a major first step. Once that’s settled, here’s a rough outline of what to do next:

    • Meet with your employees and HR: Your employees can be the best way to receive feedback. Ask them questions about what they’d love to see included in your handbook, what’s confusing about your policies, and more. Then meet with your HR department to review ideas and get their input. If you don’t have an HR department, decide who will oversee this project or whether you will contract out this work.
    • Ask yourself what you need to include: By now, you should have a good idea of what to include in your handbook. Asking professionals and researching will also play a big part in this step.
    • Create the handbook outline: Once you’ve decided what to include, it’s time to create an outline. This will serve as a guide for whoever writes your handbook.
    • Write and edit your handbook: This may be something you decide to do on your own or contract out. Regardless of what you decide, this process will take some time, and you will need several revisions to ensure your handbook is written clearly and grammatically.
    • Get the legal stuff handled: Once your handbook looks good, it’s best to have a legal team do a final review. This will help you catch any final policy errors or inconsistencies.
    • Get the handbook to your employees: Now that your handbook is ready, it’s time to get it in front of your employees and add it to your onboarding process.

    Overall, an employee handbook is often a very important aspect of running a successful company. A handbook tells your employees what their basic rights are and what they should expect from their workplace environment. This resource can offer benefits to the entire staff in the form of policies that protect them, educate them, or simply save them time. It’s a crucial document for businesses of any size.

    GMS Can Help You Build A Quality Employee Handbook

    If you’re unsure where to start or have employees who weren’t around when your handbook was last updated, consider partnering with GMS. We can help you design a comprehensive employee handbook that addresses your unique needs and concerns while guiding employees from their first day of work to their last. Contact us today to get started!

  • The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a set of best practices to better protect temporary workers on the job. The mission of NIOSH is to develop new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that knowledge into practice. Before we dive into the latest best practices, let’s define what a temporary worker is. Temporary workers are paid by a staffing company and assigned to a host employer, which can be short and long-term work. Host employers are responsible for protecting the safety and health of all workers, whether they’re temporary or permanent.

    As an employer or, in this case, a host employer, you must find every way possible to ensure the safety of your employees. Luckily, NIOSH came up with a list of best practices. They broke the best practices into four sections which include:

    • Evaluation
    • Contracting
    • Training
    • Injury

    Evaluation

    Host employers (HEs) and staffing companies (SCs) must evaluate all aspects of safety and health related to each organization and the jobs temporary workers are being hired to execute. To accomplish this, host employers should take the following steps:

    • Conduct a joint risk assessment
    • Provide information
    • Allow site visits
    • Ensure commitment to safety and health

    Contracting

    The joint structure requires effective communication and a common understanding of the division of responsibilities for safety and health at all required levels within each organization. The responsibilities must be reviewed often and set forth in a written contract between HEs and SCs. The following information needs to be specified clearly in the written contract:

    • Job details
    • Communication/documentation responsibilities
    • Injury and illness reporting, response, and record-keeping responsibilities
    • Other aspects of workplace safety and health

    Training

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that in most cases, the HE is responsible for providing site – and task–specific safety and health training, and the SC is responsible for providing general safety and health awareness training. Safety and health training must be provided for all temporary workers before starting new projects or new jobs/tasks on existing assignments. In addition, these trainings must be in a language your temporary workers understand while also including the following information:

    • Approved tasks
    • Hazard identification and control 
    • Personal protective equipment
    • OSHA laws
    • First aid
    • Emergency procedures
    • Reporting safety and health incidents and concerns
    • Secure site
    • Safety and health program participation

    Injury And Illness Reporting, Response, And Recordkeeping

    Finally, to prevent future incidents from occurring, effective injury and illness reporting, response, and recordkeeping are vital. It’s essential that HEs implement the following:

    • Promote injury and illness reporting
    • Inform the staffing company 
    • Report to OSHA
    • Conduct joint incident investigations 
    • Coordinate medical treatment and return to work
    • Record on OSHA 300 Log
    • Complete staffing company documentation 
    • Fulfill records request

    Partner With GMS To Keep Your Employees Safe

    The outlined best practices announced by the NIOSH are just the beginning. You have the information in front of you, but how will you begin to implement them within your business? That’s where GMS comes into play. At GMS, we understand that business owners cannot keep operations running and thriving without a healthy and efficient workforce. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure your employees are given the tools to succeed while also ensuring you have created a culture of safety to minimize any risk their daily activities may carry. We help you take a proactive approach to workplace safety through various services, including:

    • Onsite consulting 
    • Jobsite inspections
    • Accident and injury investigations
    • Training
    • OSHA inspection and citation assistance 

    Contact our safety experts today to learn more. 

  • On December 12th, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation establishing Carlos’ Law. Under this bill, corporate criminal liability for death or serious physical injury of an employee, whether a felony or misdemeanor, will be increased by a fine of up to $500,000.

    Carlos’ Law

    Carlos’ Law is named after Carlos Moncayo, a 22-year-old construction worker who tragically died at a New York City construction site in 2015. He was killed in the workplace because his employer ignored the repeated warnings of the dangerous conditions he was placed in.

    This law raises the financial penalties employers may face for workplace fatalities from a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $10,000 to a minimum of $300,000 and a maximum of $500,000. Under the new legislation, a corporation is guilty of criminal corporate liability for the death or injury of a worker when it negligently, recklessly, intentionally, or knowingly causes the death or serious physical injury of its employees while on the job.

    The law will do the following:

    • Impose criminal liability on a corporation when the conduct constituting the offense is committed by an agent of the corporation while acting within the scope of their employment and on behalf of the corporation, and the offense is “in relation to a crime involving the death or injury of a worker
    • Require a court to set restitution or reparations when a corporation is found guilty of an offense involving the death or injury of a worker
    • Impose a fine of not less than $500,000 nor more than $1 million when a corporation is convicted of a felony involving the death or injury of a worker
    • Impose a fine of not less than $300,000 nor more than $500,000 when a corporation is convicted of a misdemeanor involving the death or injury of a worker

    The ultimate goal of Carlos’ Law is to – “increase punitive measures so that corporations and their agents who ignore or fail to follow safety protocols and procedures and put workers at risk are less likely to write off serious workplace injuries as a minimal cost of doing business, and more likely to give workplace safety the serious attention it requires.”

    Stay Compliant, Partner With GMS

    As a business owner, it’s essential that you take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of your employees. The last thing you want is for an employee to get injured on the job. Add the hefty penalties you could face for not complying with the laws and regulations within each state. Whether you have a business in New York or not, there are always rules in place to ensure you provide a safe work environment for your workers. When you partner with GMS, our safety experts ensure you’ve created a culture of safety to minimize any risks your employees’ daily activities may carry. We help you take a proactive approach to workplace safety through various services, including:

    • Onsite consulting
    • Jobsite inspections
    • Accident and injury investigations
    • Training
    • Job hazard analysis and standard operating procedures
    • OSHA inspection and citation assistance

    Make your work environment a safer place, contact us today.

  • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced its citation of Amazon for failing to record and properly report work-related injuries and illnesses. The proposed penalties totaled $29,008.

    What Went Wrong

    Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer and a prominent cloud service provider. They have transitioned into an internet-based business enterprise largely focused on providing e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence (AI) services. Amazon has over 1.3 million employees throughout the world.

    That said, they still made mistakes that cost them a hefty fine from OSHA. They were cited for 14 recordkeeping violations which included the following:

    • Failing to properly record worker injuries and illnesses
    • Misclassified injuries and illnesses
    • Failed to report injuries and illnesses within the required timeframe
    • Did not provide OSHA with timely records

    These citations followed site inspections in July and August at Amazon warehouse facilities in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; New Windsor and Castleton, New York; Aurora, Colorado; and Nampa, Idaho. The company has 15 days to comply with or contest the citations.

    How To Avoid This From Happening To Your Business

    Even with a company such as Amazon, ensuring you stay compliant and keep your employees safe is still challenging. However, there are resources available to business owners to help prevent these situations from happening. When you partner with a professional employer organization (PEO) like GMS, we have experts and resources in place to prevent situations similar to Amazon from happening. Should one of your employees get injured on the job, our partnership with CarivaCare provides our clients with 24/7 access to the workers’ compensation nurse triage program. You are quickly connected with knowledgeable, caring professionals who will assist your employees. We also have a team of safety experts who will visit your facility to ensure it is as safe as possible for you and your employees, thereby preventing injuries. Contact us today to learn more.