New Home for the HRSentry Blog

The HRSentry Blog has now been moved to a new address, click here to visit.

Workplace Trends: Gas Prices Rise, Productivity Falls

With summer approaching and gas prices poised to again reach record highs, the extra strain financially takes a toll on many employees.  Researchers at Florida State University released findings on a study conducted this spring about the effects that rising gas prices have on workplace productivity.  The study included 800 full-time employees who drove personal cars to work an average of 15 miles each way.  At the time of the study gas prices were at $3.50.  The majority of those surveyed said that gas prices were the biggest thing on their mind.  ”Several employees said they simply could not escape the media onslaught of bad news regarding the future of gas prices, and many reported their financial futures were looking bleaker and bleaker,” says head researcher and Professor Hochwarter.  He went on to say that ”People concerned with the effects of gas prices were significantly less attentive on the job, less excited about going to work, less passionate and conscientious, and more tense…these people also reported more ‘blues’ on the job. Employees were simply unable to detach themselves from the stress caused by escalating gas prices as they walked through the doors at work.”  Professor Hochwarter’s study will be released later this summer.  For more information on this research visit EurekAlert or Florida State University News.   

While there is nothing new about employees bringing financial stress into work with them the consistent toll this is taking across the nation(and internationally) is alarming.  Some employers have seen this as an opportunity to set themselves apart and use the hike in gas prices to encourage employee carpooling and other cost saving programs.  The University of California has put in place such a carpool program that they have opened to all employees, students, and graduate students.  This program gives individuals the opportunity to park for free, have expanded parking, and receive complimentary gas cards upon registering.  Programs such as these are helping to both reduce the amount of money people have to spend at the pump, as well as reduce the carbon footprint.  

Some additional findings from the research include:

• 52 percent have reconsidered taking vacations or other recreational activities; 
• 45 percent have had to cut back on debt-reduction payments, such as credit card payments; 
• Nearly 30 percent considered the consequences of going without basics including food, clothing and medicine; 
• 45 percent report that the escalating gas prices have “caused them to fall behind financially”; 
• 39 percent agreed with the statement “Gas prices have decreased my standard of living”; and 
• About 33 percent — or one in three — said they would quit their job for a comparable one nearer to home.

Free Webinar: Workers Compensation, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act

On May 20th at 2p.m. HRSentry will be hosting a FREE webinar discussing three critical topics in the human resource industry, Workers Compensation, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act. These complex laws are responsible for a significant number of lawsuits and fines every year because employers do not know what is required. Protect yourself by going to the HRSentry Homepage and clicking the link “Register Now” tab on the right side of the page.  The webinar will be presented by Brenda Sabin, it will cover the specifics of each law, compare the regulations for each, and review how they interact.  In addition to the webinar, upon signing up you automatically receive a 30-day trial of the HR Made Simple Kit.   

Two Upcoming Webinars

HRSentry is pleased to announce two upcoming webinars in the next few weeks.  On April 30th at 11:00 a.m.  there will be a webinar for Vermont Chamber of Commerce members on the HR Made Simple service.  This half-hour program describes how with a virtual HR Department you can save time, manage risk, lower your cost of not having to support a full-time HR Department, and focus on what you do best. Be the first 25 to register and receive a complimentary two-month subscription to HR Made Simple, register now!

The second webinar, open to the public, will be focused on the three major leave laws. Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Workers Compensation. Presented by Brenda Sabin, it will cover the specifics of each law, compare the regulations for each, and review how they interact using specific examples.  Keep checking back for information on how to register for this event, I will be posting more information in the next few days as it becomes available.

 

Economic Stimulus Package 2008

Greetings All! 

Starting in May 2008 the Federal Government will begin sending out checks for the long awaited economic stimulus package to the almost 130 million eligible households.  This economic package will provide checks of between $300-$600 dollars to a person depending on their tax eligibility.  While anyone who files a tax return will receive these checks, there remains about 20 million people who are eligible and don’t normally file tax returns.  This is especially true for seniors who receive Social Security, Veterans Affairs, or certain other benefits, more information can be found using the IRS Administration Procedures.  

You’re eligible if you have a valid Social Security Number (SSN), can’t be claimed as a dependent on a tax return and have either an income tax liability or “qualifying income” of at least $3,000. Qualifying income includes any combination of earned income and certain benefits from Social Security, Veterans Affairs or Railroad Retirement.

The IRS recommends filing your return by April 15th (5 days left!) to receive a stimulus check soon.  If you are filing for the sole purpose of receiving the check or have filed for a six-month extension then October 15th is the deadline for this year.  If you haven’t yet filed for this year, try one of the many free online services such as the one that is provided by Turbotax.  To find out what your return will be visit the IRS website and use their Economic Stimulus Package Calculator.  

For further questions and information visit theIRS FAQ section.  

March Madness in the Office

Every year workers spend countless hours filling out and perfecting their tournament brackets and keeping pace up to the minute with all the action.  There is a lot of talk about the impact that this process has on the productivity of an organization and its workers.  Experts and researchers are always moaning and groaning about the money lost and what needs to be done to cut down on the time spent with the brackets and games.  You can read reports published by Careerbuilder and other business resources listing off facts and figures with cynical conclusions being drawn about the negative impact it is having.  While people may indeed be spending paid time watching and following the tournament, there are definitely good things that can be said as well.  The office pools and “watercooler” conversations provide valuable bonding time between employees that many times involve management as well.  Fighting the event will more than likely result only in employees sneaking around(March Madness OnDemand features a “boss” button that has a fake spreadsheet that will be pulled up to make it appear you are doing work) and feeling ’snubbed’ by management.   As much as it would be easiest to endorse these activities seen as commonplace and harmless, the law prohibits workplace gambling.  Many organizations include a policy stating cases will be dealt with on a discretionary basis thinking they will be able to say they have a policy but not enforce it. Organizations should recognize that even when a policy is in place if it is shown that they knew gambling took place they can be held accountable.  While there is no clear solution for this issue it does raise some interesting questions.  So as the pools fill up and the brackets become littered with scratch marks, here are some interesting figures to think about.   

•  Over 40 million workers have participated in office pools conducted during paid hours
• Almost 2 million of those will watch games online from their desk
• If these workers spend only 10 minutes a day(A decidedly low number) on the march madness festivities the total loss over the 16 days would be $1.7 billion

 

Hello world!

Welcome to the new HRSentry blog!  Started in 2003, HRSentry provides an in-depth, online human resource management and compliance service.  In todays complicated business world keeping on top of an organizations HR needs is a full-time job that many companies cant, or don’t want to pay for.  This results in the morphing of another employee to take care of these delicate issues.  HRSentry provides busy HR specialists and those new to the field with a tool to access sample policies, training programs, and best practice standards all in an effort to reduce stress and avoid costly fines.

The idea to start this blog came from the need to have a place where as a company, we can interact with other HR professionals, provide current information on the ever-changing regulations, and address human resource issues in the news.  I believe that companies who manage effective human resource programs, from training to payroll to discipline/rewards, see the benefits in their bottom line through improved retention, reduced costs, and better morale.  With all this in mind, I hope to facilitate open discussions on the importance of addressing these issues before being hit by fines or lawsuits.  Feel free to suggest any topics or just throw in your own two cents, happy surfing!