Reviewing personnel records

A new law aims to ensure that employees know they can review their personnel file.

Sponsored by Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R-Lakeville) and Sen. Tom Neuville (R-Northfield), the law requires employers with more than 20 employees to provide written notice to a newly hired employee concerning the rights and remedies regarding their employment record.

The law is effective Jan. 1, 2008.

As defined in statute, a personnel file “to the extent maintained by an employer, means: any application for employment; wage or salary history; notices of commendation, warning, discipline, or termination; authorization for a deduction or withholding of pay; fringe benefit information; leave records; and employment history with the employer, including salary and compensation history, job titles, dates of promotions, transfers, and other changes, attendance records, performance evaluations, and retirement record.”

The law comes two years after legislative changes were made to statutes allowing for greater disclosure of employee information by an employer.

The Family and Medical Leave Act and National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008

On January 28, 2008, President Bush signed into law H.R. 4986, the National Defense Authorization Act for  FY 2008 (NDAA), Pub. L. 110-181. Among other things, section 585 of the NDAA amends the Family and Medical  Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) to permit a “spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin” to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a “member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness.”

The provisions in the NDAA providing this leave are effective as of the date of the President’s signing. The Department of Labor is working quickly to prepare more comprehensive guidance regarding rights and responsibilities under this new legislation. In the interim, WHD will require employers to act in good faith in providing leave under the new legislation. Because the NDAA amends the FMLA, FMLA-type procedures should be used as may be appropriate (for example, procedures regarding substitution of paid leave and notice).

The NDAA also permits an employee to take FMLA leave for “any qualifying exigency (as the Secretary [of Labor] shall, by regulation, determine) arising out of the fact that the spouse, or a son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty) in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation.” By its express terms, this provision of the NDAA is not effective until the Secretary of Labor issues final regulations defining “any qualifying exigency.” DOL is expeditiously preparing such regulations. In the interim, DOL encourages employers to provide this type of leave to qualifying employees.

DOL will update this page as additional guidance is developed and published.   

To view the amended Title I of the Family and Medical Leave Act:

Title I of the FMLA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008

The information at the link below may also be of interest:

Consider Using Job Fairs for Hard-to-Find Job Skills

Use http://www.deed/state.mn.us/events  to find out where Job Fairs are scheduled throughout the State or use it to advertise a Mini Job Fair in the Workforce Center Office or on your premises. 

Contact Tom at 507-453-2937 for more details.

WINONA JOB FAIR

APRIL 29TH

RIVERPORT INN

Disability Employment 101

Disability Employment 101 is a popular publication that has proven to be a helpful resource for employers who want to stay competitive by hiring the best people.

Some Disability Quick Facts from the publication:

·         A fall 2005 survey of employers and individuals with disabilities found that the median cost of accommodations was only $600

·        Seventy-two percent of individuals with disabilities reported that their accommodation was made at no cost.

·        Employers who had made accommodations for employees with disabilities reported multiple benefits as a result, including that the accommodation:  allowed the company to retain a qualified employee; eliminated the costs of training a new employee; and increased the worker’s productivity

Recycle Your Cell Phone. It’s An Easy Call.

As cell phones, computers, and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) become more prominent in our everyday lives,the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking steps to encourage consumers to recycle theseproducts instead of adding them to our nation’s landfills. As part of this initiative, EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling program has teamed up with leading cell phone makers, service providers, and retailers to launch a national campaign encouraging Americans to recycle or donate their unwanted cell phones. The “Recycle Your Cell Phone. It’s An Easy Call” campaign aims to increase the public’s awareness of cell phone recycling and donation opportunities, with the ultimate goal of increasing the nation’s cell phone recycling rate. Plug-In To eCycling partners supporting this campaign are: AT&T; Best Buy; LG Electronics; Motorola; Nokia; Office Depot; Samsung; Sony Ericsson; Sprint; Staples; and, T-Mobile.

To kick off the initiative, the Campaign has released a series of print public service announcements that highlight  the convenience and environmental and social benefits of recycling a cell phone. EPA has also released a series of downloadable podcasts featuring experts in the electronics recycling field discussing the many ways that consumers can reuse and recycle their electronics and addressing many common questions and concerns. During

2008, look for the Campaign to host special cell phone collection events and increase publicity for our partners’ recycling programs. EPA has targeted cell phone recycling because, despite the large number of programs, most consumers still do not know where or how they can recycle their cell phones. Consequently, less than 20 percent of unwanted cell phones are recycled each year. Recycling cell phones leads to significant environmental savings and can benefit communities.

Recycling: an Easy Call - Every day there are thousands of opportunities to recycle cell phones and maccessories. Many cell phone retailers, manufacturers, and service providers have ongoing collection programs where phones can be dropped off or mailed in—regardless of the age or brand. Some charitable organizations and state or municipal solid waste programs also offer cell phone recycling. In most cases, cell phone recycling is free.

Recycling: a Green Call - Recycling cell phones helps the environment by saving energy and keeping useable and valuable materials out of landfills and incinerators. Cell phones are made from precious metals, copper, and plastics—all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Recycling thesematerials not only conserves resources, but prevents air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, if all of the 100 million cell phones ready for end of life management in the U.S. are recycled, we could save enough energy to power more than 194,000 U.S. households with electricity

for one year.

Recycling: a Social Call - Donating your cell phone also benefits your community. When cell phones and accessories are in good working condition, some programs donate them to a number of worthy charities or provide them for discounted sale to those who need them. In addition, many recycling programs use the proceeds to raise funds for charitable organizations, schools, churches and other

social causes. In some cases, programs buy the phone back from the consumer.

To learn more, go to www.epa.gov/cellphones .

Safety Grant Program

http://www.doli.state.mn.us/grants.html

The Safety Grant Program awards funds up to $10,000 to qualifying employers for projects designed to reduce the risk of injury and illness to their workers. To qualify, an employer must meet the following conditions:

• the employer must have workers' compensation insurance;
• the employer must come under the jurisdiction of Minnesota OSHA;
• a qualified safety professional must have conducted an on-site inspection and there must be a written report with recommendations based on the inspection;
• the project must be consistent with the recommendations of the safety inspection and must reduce the risk of injury or disease to employees;
• the employer must have the knowledge and experience to complete the project, and must be committed to its implementation;
• the employer must be able to match the grant money awarded and all estimated project costs must be covered;
• the project must be supported by all public entities involved and comply with federal, state and local regulations where applicable.

If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the availability of funds, priority will be given to:

1. sites providing goods-producing (mining, construction, manufacturing) or service-producing (transportation, communication, utilities, trade, finance, insurance, real estate services, government) jobs for a large proportion of workers in the area;
2. projects at sites where jobs have been lost or are jeopardized because of problems related to safety shortcomings; and
3. other projects.

If your grant is approved, you will be notified in writing of the specific approval. Whether we approve your grant application or not, in no way diminishes, delays or absolves you of any obligation to abate hazards as required by law. No state funds will be distributed until all grant documents are signed by all parties; funds expended before that must not rely on grant approval.

Invoices dated prior to the fully executed contract date are not eligible for this program. Each grant project must be completed within 120 days of the final date of the grant agreement document.

Note:  Grants do not cover computers or programs, vehicles, weapons or your employee labor costs, equipment time or materials.

Beginning March 1, 2002, grant applications are accepted on a continuous basis and awarded monthly.

An employer that has received a grant for a particular worksite will not be eligible to receive another grant for that worksite during the two years after the date of the award.

Employment Eligibility Verification Program

U.S. Dept. of Labor is strongly encouraging all employers to participate in this electronic verification of employment eligibility process:

E-Verify (formerly known as the Basic Pilot/Employment Eligibility Verification Program) is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

E-Verify is free and voluntary and is the best means available for determining employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security Numbers. See the website for more info.     http://www.uscis.gov/

Online Tax Classroom

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=97726,00.html

A Virtual Small Business Tax Workshop DVD is available to download but  transcripts are also available

Here are all the available lessons:

Title

Introduction

Lesson 1 -What you need to know about Federal Taxes and your new business

Lesson 2 - How to set up and run your business so paying taxes isn't a hassle

Lesson 3 - How to file and pay your taxes using a computer, including Sole Proprietors

Lesson 3 - How to file and pay your taxes using a computer, including Partnerships

Lesson 3 - How to file and pay your taxes using a computer, including Corporations

Lesson 3 - How to file and pay your taxes using a computer, including Charities/Non-profits

Lesson 4 - What you need to know when you run your business out of your home

Lesson 5 - How to set up a retirement plan for yourself and your employees

Lesson 6 - What you need to know about federal taxes when hiring employees/contractors

Lesson 7 - How to manage payroll so you withhold the right amount from employees

Lesson 7a - Salaries paid to Indian tribal council members

Lesson 7b - Payments to ministers

Lesson 7c - Employees of non-profit organizations

Lesson 7d - Tips

Lesson 8 - How to make tax deposits and file your payroll taxes using a computer

Lesson 9 - What you need to know about Federal Unemployment Taxes (FUTA)

Lesson 10 - HELP! Where to go and who to ask

Use http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/facts/mfgworkerneeds.htm for the report

NEW 2008 WINTER/SPRING MSC-ST Custom Training

and Education SCHEDULE!!   

Use http://www.southeastmn.edu/pdfs/2008%20Winter%20&%20Spring%20Catalog.pdf

OR call us in Red Wing at 651.385.6326 or Winona at 507.453.2740 for more information or to register. 

RECRUITERS NETWORK

This network is a free Association for HR Professionals, Recruiters and Hiring Managers. 

It’s goal is to provide resources and information on the Internet Recruiting Industry. 

Details are at http://recruitersnetwork.com