LABOR LAW NEWS

5 Compliance Fears That Might Scare HR Pros This Halloween

By Kris Janisch
Published Oct. 31, 2019

Halloween HR Compliance Fears Employment Law

When it comes to wage theft, don’t be a ghoul. Make sure your company pays the correct minimum wage and doesn’t rely on witchful thinking when completing payroll.

Ghosts, ghouls, goblins… There’s plenty to be afraid of this Halloween without worrying about a compliance failure.

With spooky season upon us, here are five compliance fears that leave many HR pros creeped out. Happy Halloween!

  1. The Complexity of Paid Leave

Does my employee in Nevada have to give me a reason that she took paid leave? Are those paid sick leave laws in Texas even happening? Can someone really take time off to care for their brother’s sick service dog in Emeryville, Calif.?

The complexity of paid leave laws across the country is like a vampire for HR pros — a pain in the neck. And as states, counties and cities continue to enact these laws, they’re a nightmare to track.

The time it takes to ensure employees across the country are receiving the correct paid leave can make it seem like you’re running a skeleton crew.

  1. Labor Law Poster Scams

Boo! That letter you got in the mail might seem frightening. That’s exactly what it’s supposed to do.

Some unsavory characters send official-looking correspondence to your company about needing updated labor law posters. Even worse is a visit from an “auditor” claiming to be an official from a state agency.

The intent is to scare you into buying their products. It’s almost always a trick, and never a treat for HR pros who wonder whether their posters are compliant.

  1. Wage Theft

Accidental or intentional, wage theft is creeping into the world of employment law.

You’ve seen the headlines — a company faces a lawsuit stemming from unpaid wages, off-the-clock violations, misclassifying employees and more. The penalties for wage theft can be harsh, up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine in places like Minnesota.

Don’t be a ghoul. Make sure your company pays the correct minimum wage and doesn’t rely on witchful thinking when completing payroll.

  1. Pre-Employment Protections

Can you disqualify an applicant for the presence of marijuana in a pre-employment drug test in Illinois? Do applicants in Colorado have to say whether they have been convicted of a felony?

Someone might be a gourd-eous candidate, but if you don’t adhere to the applicable pre-employment protections, you might be in for a scare.

From “ban-the-box” legislation to medical marijuana protections, states and the courts are weighing in on companies’ ability to limit the pool of job candidates. Time to bone up on those employment laws and make sure your hiring procedures are compliant.

  1. Was That New Labor Law Poster Actually Put Up on the Wall?

It can be a grave problem for compliance pros: You saw that the package with a new labor law poster was delivered… Did they actually hang it on the wall?

Compliance may be in your blood, but your location managers may not have the same spirit.

Updated labor law posters can be your first line of defense in case of a lawsuit. Displaying the latest posters is always a fang-tastic idea. There are products you can use to verify whether a poster was put up on the wall.

Happy Halloween!

Hopefully, this list of five compliance fears (and the puns) didn’t leave you groaning. From all of us at GovDocs, Happy Halloween!

This Labor Law News Blog is intended for market awareness only, it is not to be used for legal advice or counsel.

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