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Tuesday, January 31st, 2006

Five Major Time Wasters

Delegation: Being afraid to delegate because you think you can do a better job than anyone else or that if you delegate that you won’t be as valuable.
Saying No: People who can’t say no end up taking on far too many requests that deter them from focuses on their important goals.
Procrastinating: Avoid leaving projects or tasks until the last minute, this creates unnecessary stress and opens the door to mistakes and quality of work if you are working under pressure and cramming everything into a short period of time.
E-mail/Phone: It is tempting to answer your phone or check your e-mail whilst in the middle of a project. This can cause you to veer off on another tangent. It is important to set a few times during the day when you can check messages and return calls.
Spread too thin: trying to do many things at once at different priority levels can be challenging. Before you start your day set priorities and complete one project before moving to the next.

Monday, January 30th, 2006

How do you rate your employee's performance?

Performance evaluations are a really important management communication tool. Although, it is a little time consuming to administer it is a highly effective way of sharing feedback through manager rating and self rating this assists with developing future goals and objectives. Another option is an in depth performance evaluation mechanism known as a 180 degree or 360 degree review. This enables each manager to solicit feedback from various peers, co-workers, even customers if necessary; giving you a different perspective of your employee's performance within the organization.

Friday, January 27th, 2006

Are small businesses required to pay minimum wage?

Yes, most of the time. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), federal law requires all business to pay minimum wage if you have over $500,000 in annual sales. It is important to know that if your sales don't reach this threshold, your employees may still be covered if they work in "interstate commerce" between states. The courts have a very broad interpretation which includes sending or receiving mail from out of state, making interstate phone calls, or handling goods that have moved interstate. If your business your business doesn’t fit into these parameters, you may still be required to pay the state’s minimum wage requirements.

Thursday, January 26th, 2006

Can I do a pre-employment credit report check?

Yes, but, only if the candidate signs a background release form in advance. The candidate may request a copy of their credit history and you must honor their request. If you make a decision not to hire based on the credit information received, you must notify the person and explain their rights for challenging the contents of the report.

Wednesday, January 25th, 2006

Employers Now Offer Domestic Partner Benefits

Registered domestic partners in California will have many new rights and responsibilities under AB 205, the new domestic partner law that took effect on January 1, 2005. Under AB 205, registered domestic partners are now entitled to the same legal treatment as spouses in most areas of state law therefore benefits must be offered to domestic partners.
Keep in mind that under federal law, most companies prohibit employment discrimination based on non-job-related factors such as race, sex, religion and marital status. No federal law offers similar protections to employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity either real or perceived. So before you attempt to secure domestic partner benefits, it is helpful to ensure that your company's non-discrimination policy also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Without a commitment from your company that it will not discriminate based on sexual orientation, some employees may reasonably fear taking advantage of domestic partner benefits. Further, an inclusive non-discrimination statement is a key facet of the rationale for extending domestic partner benefits. Establishing a benefits policy that includes your company's gay and lesbian employees is a logical outgrowth of your company's own non-discrimination policy. By not making employee benefits available on equal terms, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation, a company that otherwise purport to be fair is violating its own non-discrimination policy.

Tuesday, January 24th, 2006

401k Limits Increased for 2006

The IRS announced individuals can contribute up to $15,000 in 401k plans for 2006. Participants in 401k and Federal Thrift Savings Plan accounts can save a maximum of $15,000 in pre-tax income, or $20,000 if the plan participant is age 50 or older. The maximum contribution for defined contribution plans also increased to a maximum of $44,000 (or $49,000 if you're 50 or older).

Monday, January 23rd, 2006

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