Human Resources Information System (HRIS)

As an employer in Connecticut, you are faced with many employer/employee related challenges. Our human resources consulting module will enable you to limit your employer-related liability, communicate with your employees more efficiently and effectively, and ensure compliance with all employment related federal and state laws and regulations.

GBAC's human resources consulting module provides our clients with a web-based employee management and communications system. This system allows you to manage all employee information in a central location, communicate your company policies and forms with all employees and simplify the benefits enrollment and renewal process.

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Employee Handbooks

Employee handbooks are a way of ensuring that all employees are aware of your rules, policies and standards and gives you a way to organize the communications in one place, in print, online or both.

Additionally, the handbook communicates to your employees what they can expect from the company in terms of such items as employee benefit plans, paid holidays and vacations.

Providing your company rules in writing and having the employee acknowledge receipt in writing will make it easier to enforce them, if necessary.

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Individual Policy and Procedure Development

Well-conceived policies and effective procedures will help your business run smoothly and efficiently.

Whether you require a review and update to one or several of your current policies or procedures; the development of a new policy or procedure in response to new legislation, or a full employee handbook review to ensure that you are operating in compliance with current Federal and/or State regulations, we are here to help and our team can guide you through the process.

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Customized Business Forms

Documentation in the business environment is endless…

Not only are you required by law to develop and maintain certain documentation regarding payroll; thorough and accurate documentation of the life cycle of each your employees is critical.

Disciplinary matters: initial or oral warnings/ formal written warnings, performance appraisals, attendance, training, licensure, pay rate or job title changes, employee leaves, workers compensation and more should be properly documented and retained in your employee files.

Often the day to day things your employee(s) do are not significant in and of themselves…..however when put together over a period of time can become your worst nightmare. As an employer there is no such thing as too much documentation, train your managers/supervisors to write it down! Should it come to litigation or a contested claim for unemployment benefits this will provide backup for most inquiries. Document, document, document!

Additionally

OSHA requires its own record keeping and reporting as does the EEOC.

Is your company application for employment legal…..are you requesting information that you should not?

Do you have all of the necessary forms for a newly hired employee at the ready? Federal and State W4's, direct deposit authorization, background check and drug screening authorization and release, I-9?

The Federal and State Family Medical Leave Acts each have substantial notification, documentation, recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

GBAC has a substantial library of standard forms available that can be customized for your business or, where appropriate, we can create custom forms and notices for you.

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Leave of Absence Guidance/FMLA-Workers Comp-ADA-Military Exigency & Caregiver

Do you know the answers to the following questions?

• Q: What is FMLA?
• Q: What is a reasonable ADA accommodation?
• Q: When is a reasonable accommodation required under ADA?
• Q: What Employers Are Required to Grant FMLA Leave or an ADA accommodation?
• Q: For What Reasons Can Employees Take FMLA Leave?
• Q: Which Employees Are Eligible for FMLA Leave?
• Q: How Much Time Can Employees Take Off under FMLA?
• Q Can FMLA and Workers Comp run concurrently?
• Q: Who is Eligible to Take a Military Exigency or Caregiver Leave?
• Q: What Is Intermittent Leave?
• Q: Is FMLA Leave Paid Leave?
• Q: Must The Employee's Group Healthcare Coverage Be Continued While on FMLA Leave or Workers Compensation Leave?
• Q: What Notice Must The Employee Provide?
• Q: What Notices Must The Employer Provide?
• Q: What Is A Serious Health Condition under the FMLA?

Implementing the FMLA can be tricky, especially when a leave of absence involves workers' compensation injuries and then there is the ADA and military leave to add more confusion to the mix.

GBAC can assist you with these complex regulations, documentation, recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

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Sexual Harassment & Discrimination

Sexual Harassment and Discrimination are prohibited under

Federal Law by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

and

The State of CT Discriminatory Practices Law of the CT General Statutes

CT Posting Requirements:

All employers of 3 or more employees must display notices in a prominent and accessible location at every employee site where all employees and applicants will have the opportunity to view the posting on a regular basis.

CT Training Requirements:

Companies with 50 or more employees must provide two hours of classroom-type training for their supervisory employees within 6 months of assuming a supervisory position.

GBAC can provide the required 2-hour classroom-type training onsite at your location or at our North Haven office for one employee or for your supervisors as a group.

Although not required by the state we suggest periodic retraining for all supervisors.

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COBRA Administration

We offer a complete COBRA Administration package. Services begin with the initial notification letter required for newly eligible employees through notices when qualifying events occur.

COBRA Administration Services Include:

• Initial notification of COBRA rights
• Qualifying Event Letters
• Enrollment Communications and Eligibility Confirmation Letter
• Premium and Premium Change Letters
• Underpayment and Late Premium Notices
• Cancellation Letters
• Collection of Premium Payments
• Payment Tracking
• Data maintenance (eligibility, current and past elections, payment status, maximum duration)
• Monthly Reports (participant details, voucher/check reconciliation, letter summary, termination, and carrier eligibility)
• Open Enrollment
• Participant Customer Support

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Personnel Files

The employee personnel file should be an accurate reflection of the individuals entire period of employment, starting with the employment application or resume the individual submitted when applying for his/her position and ending with the most recent documents you have for the individual including, but not limited to, performance evaluations, pay rate and job title changes, disciplinary actions, time off requests, handbook or policy acknowledgments and training records.

Additionally each employee should have separate medical and payroll files.

Do you need help getting or keeping your personnel files organized?

GBAC can maintain your employee files in compliance with government regulations in our secure facility or provide an onsite audit of your employee files and retention practices.

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Background Checks

• Negligent hiring lawsuits are on the rise. If an employee's actions hurt someone, the employer may be liable. The threat of liability gives employers reason to be cautious in checking an applicant's past. A bad decision can wreak havoc on a company's budget and reputation as well as ruin the career of the hiring official

Employers check potential employees for many reasons and the things you check may vary from other businesses.

Background reports can range from a verification of an applicant's Social Security number to a detailed account of the potential employee's history, education, driving record, criminal record and/or acquaintances. Some employers are now searching popular social networking Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook for the profiles of applicants.

We offer a full suite of background checks that can be purchased as a package or ala-carte.

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Employee Orientation

A well thought out orientation program, whether it lasts one day or six months, will help in retention of employees, as well as productivity. Companies that have good orientation programs get new people up to speed quickly, have better alignment between what the employees do and what the organization needs them to do, and have lower turnover rates.

GBAC can assist you in the development of an onboarding program that fits your culture.

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I-9 Audit & Compliance – the ICE agent is coming…

In 2010 the innocuous looking one page form I-9 led to record penalties, criminal charges, and federal contract debarments against employers and indications are that federal immigration law enforcement focus on I-9 audits is likely to be even more aggressive in 2011.

The form has its roots in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which makes it unlawful for employers to knowingly hire unauthorized workers—illegal immigrants. The law requires employers to verify that the employees they hire are eligible to work in the United States and the Form I-9 is the tool for implementing these mandates.

In Fiscal Year 2010, ICE agents:

• Recovered record high penalties of $6.9 million from businesses
• Criminally charged 187 business owners or managers with immigration violations

As opposed to Fiscal Year 2009

• Recovered $1.03 million from businesses
• Criminally charged 114 business owners or managers with immigration violations

Employers can face stiff penalties for I-9 violations which include substantial fines and also debarment from government contracts. Penalties can be imposed for hiring unauthorized workers as well as simply for committing paperwork violations even if all workers are authorized to work.

• $250 to $3,000 for improper completion of the I-9 form
• $100 to $1,100 for each I-9, for improper retention or for not making forms available for inspection
• $250 up to $11,000 per violation for knowingly hiring or continuing to employ unauthorized workers

GBAC can maintain your I-9 files in compliance with government regulations in our secure facility or provide an onsite audit of your forms and retention practices.

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Labor Law Posters

State and Federal laws require employers to post all existing labor laws in an area that is frequented by employees. GBAC has the solution to the compliance needs of all businesses. Employers can purchase one Labor Law Poster that includes all of the most current state and federally required posters. To ensure all employees have a full understanding of their rights, our Labor Law Poster is offered in both English and Spanish for all states and territories.

Please contact us today for a complete list of the required posters. We can then provide pricing for any posters you are in need of. For added convenience we offer compliance packages to ensure your posters stay current year round.

Note: Effective January 31, 2012 there are new NLRB posting requirements!

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Workers Compensation Claim Administration

GBAC can assist you in the reporting and recording of workplace injuries and illnesses, accident investigations, the identification of transitional duty assignments, as well as managing the return to work process.

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Employee Discipline/Termination & Unemployment Compensation

At some point in their professional career every manager will have to terminate an employee.

This is not a pleasant task, for either the employee or the manager, regardless of whether the employee is being dismissed for cause or laid off due to lack of work.

Once the decision has been made to let the employee go, there is preparation to be done prior to the actual termination and follow up that must be done post termination.

We can assist you in the preparation for a termination assuring that the meeting runs as smoothly as possible and that the employee receives all necessary and required pay, forms and documentation.

Post termination we can assist in completion of Department of Labor information requests related to the terminated employee. We can also assist in the preparation for and or attend unemployment compensation hearings on your behalf.

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Employee Opinion Surveys

In today's volatile business climate we all want to retain our hardworking, dedicated employees and the best way to keep those valued employees is to ensure that they are content with their compensation and benefit plans, committed to and comfortable with the company culture and leadership and fully engaged in their jobs.

An employee opinion survey can provide valuable insight into what your employees are thinking.

No matter the size of your organization. We can provide a general survey that will help you gauge the overall satisfaction and engagement of your staff or create a targeted survey to determine the level of employee interest in a particular project, proposal or plan you are considering.

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Customer Satisfaction Surveys

A research study conducted by TARP research back in 1999 discovered that on average an unhappy customer will tell 10 people about their experience. In turn, these 10 people will each tell a further 5 people, meaning that a total of 50 people will have heard about their bad experience. A sobering thought, wouldn't you say?

What's even more frightening, however, is that if we work on the basis that only one out of every ten of your dissatisfied customers registers a complaint with you, then in total, for every formal complaint you receive, 500 people will have heard about your customers' problems!

What can you do?

Be proactive! Survey your customers, find out what they are thinking and saying.

Once you know, what your customers are saying; you can you can identify trends or areas of concern and act accordingly.

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OSHA Recordkeeping & Recording

Most businesses with 11 or more employees at any time during the calendar year must maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses, as they occur, using OSHA Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses and complete and post the 300A annually.

Such recordkeeping is not required for employers in most retail trade, finance, insurance, real estate, and service industries.

Let us assist you in meeting your OSHA recordkeeping and posting requirements.

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Job Descriptions

Although there is no law requiring job descriptions, there are compelling reasons to maintain them.

5 Reasons You Need Job Descriptions

1. Knowing What to Look for When Recruiting

Given a well-crafted job description, a business can recruit wisely, focusing on the skills and attributes really needed in a particular position.

2. Evaluating a Candidate with a Disability

A description that accurately depicts the essential functions of a job can be crucial in helping you decide whether someone with a disability can do a particular job, determine what reasonable accommodation you may be able to provide should a current employee request one and may assist in your defense if you get sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

3. Workers Compensation Claim Administration

The job description can be used by both your workers compensation insurance carrier and your injured workers physician to determine if an employee with a work related injury is capable of performing all or some of the essential duties of their position.

4. Exempt/Non-Exempt Classification

Good job descriptions help employers properly classify employees as exempt or nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

5. Performance Evaluation

Finally, accurate job descriptions are a great foundation for (at least annual) performance evaluations and/or if termination becomes necessary.

We can assist you in the development of your job description library.

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