Novation HR
Expert HR consulting and administration for small and mid-sized businesses.
Expert HR management and administration for small and mid-sized businesses.
Are you prepared?
Businesses faced with serious HR problems experience a drain on time, employee morale, and even profitability. The following are just a few of the HR issues we have solved for our clients. Some are everyday administrative matters, others require professional knowledge, and even more demand strategic expertise. NovationHR’s Human Resources experience is built from our hands-on management of client relationships. Through our holistic approach we have created positive results for companies of all sizes and in a wide range of industries.
It is a fact that HR situations like these have, can or will arise in your business. Your best strategy is to be prepared.
Personal issues interfere with work
One of your most productive sales managers has an obvious problem with drugs and gambling. His performance is suffering and he is beginning to take unexplained days off work.
- Is there documented acknowledgment of the employee handbook and has it been filed?
- Do you have an effective leave of absence policy including FMLA?
- Has this employee been communicated with in regards to the various wellness programs available?
- Has a cross-training program been effectively implemented?
- Do you know if the employee has legal rights under the ADA in the event the employee leaves or is terminated?
Human resource management:
Sexual harassment
You learn that your Sales Manager has been telling sexist jokes that demean women in the weekly sales meetings. A female Customer Service Manager has complained about the jokes in the past and no one has done anything about it. After a few months she quits and files a formal sexual harassment claim.
- Do you have a sexual harassment policy that has been implemented and diversity training that has been documented for all employees?
- Does your staff have the experience and HR expertise to manage a sexual harassment investigation?
Human resource management:
Department versus supervisor
Employees in your production department are protesting, in growing numbers, against the third shift supervisor’s management style by wearing black armbands.
- Are regular communication meetings being held with the department employees and supervisors?
- Is an effective harassment policy including investigation procedures in place?
- Does your employee handbook have an employee complaint procedure?
Human resource management:
Interoffice affair
Two of your employees are having an affair – the married Vice President of Sales and a sales representative. Everyone in the department is aware of the relationship and a few employees have complained about favoritism. Additionally, you fear that there will be disruptions in the work environment when the affair ends.
- Do you have a well-designed employee handbook coupled with effective policy enforcement on this issue?
- Do you know if strategic restructuring in a non-discriminatory manner within the department can defuse the situation and improve morale?
- Is there a possibility of a sexual harassment accusation, and if so is the company protected or at risk?
Human resource management:
Wage and hour compliance
Your production department receives a weekly bonus based on volume. Some of your employees claim that their overtime is not being calculated correctly and file a class-action lawsuit. You discover that your long-term payroll clerk has not correctly incorporated the bonuses into employee’s overtime rates for the last five years.
- Are your wage and hourly practices routinely audited for compliance?
- Are efficient time and attendance records kept for all the employees hours?
- Was accurate performance data being communicated between production and payroll?
Human resource management:
Poor employee appearance
One of your most reliable and hard working office employees consistently wears inappropriate clothing to work and has poor hygiene.
- Has someone had a one-on-one documented discussion with this employee reviewing company policies?
- Do you have documented HR policies in the employee handbook that address the situation?
Human resource management:
FMLA abuse
A production worker has a condition that allows him to take intermittent FMLA leave. You believe he is abusing the system because you notice that he consistently takes every other Friday off. However, he always has the proper documentation to cover his absences.
- Is an accurate records system in place that tracks the FMLA status of all employees?
- Do you have a staff member with the HR expertise to develop a strategy that will stop the abuse, while staying in compliance with this complex law?
- Have you adequately documented the abuses under the law and prescribed all the rights of the employer?
Human resource management:
Employee sues over ADA violation
An employee in your warehouse has suffered a work related injury, which has led to a permanent disability. Profitability demands a layoff in this department. So, you terminate the disabled worker because he is the least flexible. He then sues you for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Do you have a labor law attorney that can effectively devise your legal strategy?
- Do you have documented proof of the employee’s limitations and shortcomings that support your position relative to the law and the other employees in the department
- Do you have the flexibility to implement a complex legal strategy addressing this situation?
Human resource management:
Religion in the workplace
A group of engineers in your design department are devout Christians. A new employee claims to be a Satanist and begins to receive verbal threats. As a result, both the new employee and the group of engineers want someone terminated.
- Is there an effective harassment policy including investigation procedures in place?
- Do you have a signed employee handbook acknowledgement on file for each employee?
- Have company policies and procedures been effectively communicated to the employees?
- Is diversity training a part of your new hire orientation program for all employees?
Human resource management:
Accidents and emergencies
One of your clerical employees falls in the production area and suffers a compound fracture of the left arm. She is suing for pain and suffering because it took over 15 minutes for someone to call an ambulance after her fall.
- Do you have an implemented safety policy outlining an Emergency Action Plan?
- Do you provide documented safety training for all employees?
- Do you have a labor law attorney that can effectively devise your legal strategy and the staff to put it into action?
- Do you have active management of the workers compensation as this claim processes?
Human resource management:
Employee is arrested
One of your employees is arrested over the weekend for a parole violation. He calls Monday morning and asks you to fax his timesheet to jail so that he can sign off on his hours worked last week.
- Is your attendance policy designed to handle this situation?
- Does your hiring process include running a background check?
Human resource management:
Forgot about COBRA
An employee is terminated on Friday afternoon and you forgot to make yourself a note to send out his COBRA letter.
- Do you know if this employee is still eligible for COBRA benefits?
- Does your organization understand the consequences for noncompliance and ways to resolve the situation and reduce liability?
Human resource management:
Company restructuring
There is an unexpected dip in sales and you are forced to make what you hope will be short-term changes in the form of organizational restructuring. After a few months of reduced demand, you determine that your best option is to merge with a mid-size competitor.
- Does your staff have the knowledge and HR expertise to incorporate a restructuring process that impacts all aspects of your business including senior employees?
- Does your Human Resource Department have up to date and accurate performance evaluations?
- Has an effective cross-training program been implemented?
- Do you have the ability to implement employee retention methods such as succession planning?
Human resource management: