Designing an Internship Program   Designing an Internship Program can create a great way to pave the way to create relationships with local schools and pave the way to boosting your recruiting program. It’s not uncommon for over 20% of a company’s new-hires to come from its internship program.   Then designing an internship program, several factors should be considered:   Strategic Planning Will your internship program be available year-round? Post openings at least eight weeks from the start date. Will they need workspace? Will they need computer access? What kinds of meaningful projects will they participate in?   Supervising Since internships are generally a training type of program, they will typically need a greater amount of supervision than the normal employees. Each intern will need to be welcomed to the company and taken through many of the normal employee orientation efforts, like security, facility accommodations, punch in/out procedures, etc. ...

Federal Employment Posters Update – Use the new NLRA poster by June 21st to stay in compliance. Now, under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), most federal contractors and subcontractors, by law, must inform employees of their rights.    The Department of Labor's regulations implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13496 E.O. 13496 advances the Administration's goal of promoting economy and efficiency of Federal government procurement by ensuring that workers employed in the private sector and engaged in activity related to the performance of Federal government contracts are informed of their rights to form, join, or assist a union and bargain collectively with their employer. Knowledge of such basic statutory rights promotes stable labor-management relations, thus reducing costs to the Federal government.   Pursuant to Executive Order 13496 and its implementing regulations, 29 C.F.R. Part 471, Federal contractors and subcontractors, beginning on June 21, 2010, must notify employees ...

  Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and nonpaid internships: Quiz   The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that nonexempt employees receive at least minimum wage for all hours worked and must also receive time-and-a-half pay for all hours worked more than 40 during the workweek.   While the FLSA doesn't define what an intern is, nor provide an exemption from minimum wages or overtime for interns, it does define an employee as "any individual employed by an employer." The definition of "employ" under the FLSA "includes to suffer or permit to work."   Under federal law, for-profit organizations must pay workers unless the position fits six criteria. The following quiz helps to illustrate the six criteria.   Would the employee be correctly classified as a “Coordinator”, “Trainee”, or “Intern”? For an unpaid internship to be lawful under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), the intern must be classified as a “trainee&rd ...

Health Reform Bill HR3590 Update - Simple Cafeteria Plans

The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries published an article summarizing "Simple Cafeteria Plans" that are available starting January 1, 2011, under the health reform bill (HR 3590).  Please use the link below to access:

 

http://www.asppa.org/Document-Vault/PDFs/ASAPs/2010/10-13.aspx

 

  Employee Benefits Cost Advantages to Restaurants that outsource HR When a restaurant considers outsourcing its HR functions, it normally takes into account some estimated employee benefits cost advantages. But many of the advantages go beyond having your employees take advantage of group benefits rates through the PEO company.   By using an outsource, restaurant owners can relieve themselves of the costly administrative burdens of managing:   Claims management Direct Deposits Payroll Taxes Applying the complex laws governing wages and tips that can make managing restaurant payrolls extremely difficult to manage.   A PEO can help reduce the employee benefits cost and the risk of compliance penalties through: Arranging for competitive health coverage. Creating a I-9 compliance evaluation, which ensures that all employees are compliant with INS regulations and avoiding penalties. Performing a payroll process audit to make recommendations to st ...