2023 Employee Handbook Considerations
Human Resources
60 Minutes
Friday, November 24,2023
- Sunday, December 31,2023
STA2023140
Overview
The training is designed to ensure your organization is fully compliant with laws and regulations, compliance, training, and additional areas to consider related to local and state regulations.
Specific guidance on federal laws, postings, documentation, and employee expectations. Understand policies and procedures and proper communication. As laws evolve, so should your organization.
Who should attend?
- Human Resources Professionals
- Small Business Owners
- Non-Profit Administrators
- General Managers
- Office Managers
- Payroll Professionals
- Lawmakers
- Attorneys
- Accounting Professionals
- Consultants
- Labor Unions
- Professors, Instructors, and Trainers
Why should you attend?
Specific guidance on federal laws, postings, documentation, and employee expectations. Understand policies and procedures and proper communication. As laws evolve, so should your organization.
- Family Medical Leave Act Updates: With the recent changes to FMLA related to the pandemic, it is a good time to review and update this section as required under both federal and state law. Remember, the federal leave and poster does have an expiration date, but those dates can always be extended. This will include any Paid Family Leave and FFCRA. Remember the FFCRA does expire on December 31, 2020, but that does not mean it's going away.
- State Required Sick Leave: New York State passed similar paid sick leave laws that have been required in New York City for a number of years. The effective date is January 1, 2021, regardless of the unanswered questions many organizations currently have. Organizations need to be aware of these requirements and update policies, payroll systems, and handbooks. I would encourage every organization to review PTO, sick leave, personal leave, and vacation policies as well. For any paid or unpaid leave, I recommend organizations review call-in notices and procedures. Also, reviewing attendance policies is encouraged during this review.
- Equal Employment Opportunity & ADA Language: States have adopted equal pay, hairstyle discrimination, etc. that will impact your EEO policy statements. I encourage all organizations to review and update these sections as needed. The law continues to evolve related to equal employment and disability accommodations and discrimination. This should be reviewed annually. New York State passed changes that should be reviewed and updated.
- Drug-Free Workplace & Testing Policies: Another section I encourage you to review in relation to the EEO and ADA language, as states and cities are adopting specific laws around pre-employment marijuana testing. Understand these requirements, and DOT laws (if applicable) and update accordingly. Continue to watch for medicinal and recreational marijuana legislation across the country, this includes no pre-employment testing legislation.
- Pandemic Policy or Handbook Language: I think we have all learned from this experience and will be better prepared moving forward. I encourage all organizations to update or create a section on a pandemic or an organization-wide shutdown. This can include any paid or unpaid leave language, including how seniority and accruals might be impacted.
- Sexual Harassment: Laws in New York State have changed related to the state-recommended sexual harassment policy and reporting time. This language should have been updated earlier in 2020. However, it is important for us to review and update.
- At-Will Employment Language: Ensure this section is clearly communicated and understood by all employees. It should stand out in the handbook and handbook or policy signoff section. I write this into the handbook, the employee signature page, and the sexual harassment policy signoff.
- Telecommuting Policy: Implementing a telecommuting or flexible work policy is necessary if your organization has employees working remotely. I recommend having employees sign off on this policy.
What you'll learn?
- Completing
- Retention Period
- Helpful Links
- Common Mistakes
- Legal Issues
- Auditing Forms
- Communication
- Why it is important
- Relevance to your organization
- 5-10 minutes on question and answers
Speakers
Mr. Matthew W Burr
Matthew W Burr, Human Resources Consultant, Burr Consulting LLC.
Matthew Burr has over 10 years of experience working in the human resources field, starting his career as an industrial relations intern at Kennedy Valve Manufacturing to most recently founding and managing a human resource consulting company: Burr Consulting, LLC. He specializes in labor and employment law, conflict resolution, performance management, employee relations and work with labor unions. He also has a generalist background in HR and provides strategic HR services to his clients, focusing on small and medium sized organizations. He is the SHRM certification exam instructor at Elmira College. Mr. Burr also works as a trainer in Tompkins Cortland Community College, Corning Community College, Broome Community College and Penn State University. He is also an on-call mediator and fact-finder through the Public Employment Relations Board in New York State.
He has been published in Cornell HR Review, Business Insider, and Expert 360 (in Australia). He recently published his first book, “$74,000 in 24 Months: How I killed my student loans (and you can too!).”
Mr. Burr has an associate's degree in business administration from Tompkins Cortland Community College, a bachelor’s of science degree from Elmira College, a master's degree from the University of Illinois School of Labor and Employment Relations in Human Resources & Industrial Relations, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, both the SPHR and SHRM-SCP.
Choose Options
