“Well, you work outside, so that’s to be expected,” we told him.  “Can’t you go to work with mud on your shoes?”  The answer was no.

Another worker told us he wouldn’t be able to go to the jobsite, because he lost the directions.  “Would you like us to give them to you again?” we asked.  “No thank you,” was the reply.

Every employer has their horror story about crazy excuses that employees have given for not showing up for work, or about the employee that is chronically absent.  Worse yet, there are the employees that don’t show up, and don’t even bother to call.

Employee absenteeism is a costly problem for employers.  As our staffing levels have shrunk, we are all trying to cope with fewer hands on deck to do the work.  Every person is essential to get the job done.  When someone is unexpectedly out, the entire organization suffers more than ever.

Every business owner, manager, human resource professional and supervisor knows that there are many laws in place that require companies to provide leave for employees under certain circumstances.  In some cases, these laws apply to employers of varying sizes, and in some cases, they apply to all employers.  None of us want to violate those laws.  The question is, how can we stay within the guidelines and intent of those laws, and minimize the unplanned or unnecessary leave taken by our employees?

Companies must start with a solid attendance policy in their employee handbook, which details the company’s expectations and rights, and the employees’ responsibilities.  The policy should state:

• when an employee should call in to report their absence
• who to report it to
• how to report it
• when a doctor’s statement is required to return to work

Surveys that have been performed reveal that employee absenteeism is often for reasons unrelated to illness.

For instance, employees take time off to take care of sick family members, to attend to personal business, to attend school functions, and for “mental health days”.

For this reason, many companies have incorporated Work/Life Programs into their benefit plans, which help to mitigate the need for an employee to unexpectedly pretend to be ill when they need to take care of personal business.

For instance, a PTO (Paid Time Off) plan is a bank of hours that replaces sick and vacation time with personal time off.  Employees use the time as they choose, eliminating the need to segregate the hours into sick and vacation days.  Healthy employees have the advantage of extra vacation days during the year.  Most employers find that the number of unexpected days off is diminished with a PTO plan.

Another variation of PTO plans is a Buy-Back Plan for sick days in which an employer will buy-back in cash or with vacation hours all or a portion of an employee’s unused sick days.  Employees who have the “use it or lose it” mentality for sick days become incentivized to get the buy-back bonus.

Some employers offer a Well Day Bonus for employees who do not use a sick day during a certain period of time, such as a six month period.  The Well Day essentially gives employees an additional vacation day to be used during the next six month period of time.

These programs, which recognize and reward employees with excellent attendance, help to create an atmosphere that encourage others in their attendance.

As our workplaces become leaner, and we place a greater emphasis on controlling absenteeism, we run the risk of presenteeism becoming a greater problem in our workplace.

Presenteeism is the problem we have when a sick employee comes to work ill.  There are many reasons that employees do this.  Our employees may feel that they have too much work to do to stay home, or that they will be in trouble if they miss a day of work.  In this economy, they may feel concerned for the well being of the company and feel the need to come to work every day to help.  Or they may want to get their Well Day Bonus, so they come to work sick in order to qualify for it.

When someone comes to work sick, they expose everyone else to their illness, which often results in a bigger disruption in the company’s productivity overall as others eventually fall ill.  Sick employees are not able to work at their capacity, and are usually better off to stay home for a day or so to get well, than work at a diminished rate for several days.

Many companies today offer reimbursement for flu shots in order to help their employees through the flu season, and to help to avoid the effects of presenteeism.  Simple things, like bottles of hand sanitizers throughout the office can lower the risks, especially when the staff is exposed to the public.

All Work/Life Balance Programs have employer flexibility as their cornerstone.  Allowing an employee the option of leaving early to go to the school play means they don’t have to call in sick for the entire day.  Creating a job share situation for an employee with an elderly parent they are caring for means that their attendance will be reliable and they will have another person to back them up when something unexpected happens.

By adopting thoughtful measures, there’s a very good chance you can cut down on absenteeism in your workplace.  Although, admittedly, in a perverse way, sometimes those excuse-calls are pretty entertaining.  We’ve all heard some wild excuses from employees who couldn’t come to work.  Sometimes I hope for a good excuse when the phone rings, and I’m disappointed when the employee offers nothing better than a fake cough and a raspy voice.

Some of the more memorable excuses we’ve heard over the years include a call we received one morning from a fellow who told us he couldn’t go to work that day because he’d accidentally shot himself through the throat with an arrow.  We thought that was a pretty good excuse.  Then there was the woman who didn’t show up for work for several days.  When we finally reached her, she said, “I’ve been lost in Belfair for three days and there were no phones available.”  We gave her points for creativity on that one, although not an offer to return to work.

So what good excuses have you heard?  Our company has created a mug emblazoned with a quote by Sam Ewing, “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.”  Send us an email with the kookiest excuse you’ve ever been fed and and we’ll bring you a mug.

• Oppose a practice
• Make a claim of unlawful employment practice
• Make a charge of discrimination or harassment
• Testify, assist or participate in an investigation, proceeding or hearing

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!”

This childhood saying comes to mind as I prepare to write this article.  Our parents used this saying to teach us that no matter what people said, we didn’t need to retaliate in anger.

However, as a child, we had another sentence we’d say out of our parents’ hearing:  “Call me this and call me that, I’ll hit you with a baseball bat!”

And therein is the underlying issue for workplace retaliation.

What is retaliation?

Basically, it is any adverse action that an employer takes against an employee in response to a complaint that person has made about discrimination or harassment.

It can also apply to employees who exercise their rights under laws such as workers comp, employment laws, FMLA or other leave laws.

Recent court decisions have gone even further, extending the same protection to staff who participate in investigations of other employees’ complaints. The original complaint does not need to be well founded in order for the courts to determine that the employee was indeed retaliated against.

Retaliation includes adverse actions such as:

• Wage reductions
• Disciplinary measures
• Demotions
• Negative performance evaluations
• Hostile attitudes
• Changes in job assignments or shifts
• Time off without pay
• Terminations

Many employers don’t understand what constitutes retaliation.

Many times employers don’t understand what constitutes retaliation, and they find themselves accused of it based on an action that they took out of good intentions.

For example, we had a client whose employee felt his supervisor made inappropriate sexual comments to him.  During the investigation period, the company moved the complainant to another shift in order to prevent further harassment.

While the employer did this out of the best of intentions, this action constituted retaliation against the complainant, who did not want to make a shift change.  This actually made our client even more vulnerable, because it potentially handed that employee two causes of action against them instead of just one!

There are other forms of retaliation as well.

Recently, a different business warned us not to hire their former employee, because he had incurred a costly workers comp claim with them, which they felt was not legitimate.  Giving a bad reference to a former employee based on their engagement in protected activity can also qualify as retaliation.

What you can do to limit your risk of getting slapped with a retaliation claim:

Your company should have a defined anti-discrimination and sexual harassment policy in place, which all of your management team understands.

It’s also important for your supervisors and managers to understand what constitutes retaliation under the law.

When an employee files a complaint:

• Treat them with respect and dignity, and take their complaint very seriously.  They have a right to as much confidentiality as possible
• Let the employee know that you will not tolerate any retaliation against them while their complaint is being investigated and resolved
• Instruct them to inform you immediately if they feel they are being retaliated against

Don’t fear that you are empowering them to make additional complaints by giving them knowledge of their rights.  Trust me, they’ll learn their rights on their own anyway!

If you let them know from the beginning that you are on their side, you will most likely develop an amicable relationship, which will enable you to resolve issues together before they escalate

Document everything!

As always with issues relating to human resources and personnel, good documentation is essential.

From the moment that you hear of a complaint, start documenting every detail.  Document the employee’s complaints, document all of your actions, and document every conversation you have with any other employees.

Document the heck out of every aspect of the situation!

Maintain as much confidentiality as possible.

You must investigate and resolve any complaints that are brought, but do this while maintaining as much confidentiality as you can.

The more people brought into the discussion, the greater the probability that someone will make a comment, or take an action, that could be construed as retaliation.

In addition, remember that when you bring another employee into the investigation by asking them questions, such as, “Have you ever heard Jill make inappropriate comments to Jack?” you have then added another employee to the list of those who can bring action for retaliation.

Don’t forget to work with the target of the complaint too!

Don’t forget to work with the employee against whom the complaint has been made.

Since this person may well be in management and have the ability to retaliate, immediately remind them of what constitutes retaliation.  Realize that they might be upset by the allegations against them, and work with them to mitigate and channel their anger, so they don’t act against the complaining employee.

Does this mean that an employee who makes a complaint gets a free ride?

Of course not—but it does make the discipline process more complex.

If an employee has had a history of excellent performance reviews, makes a complaint of discrimination, and then their next review is poor, this will appear to be retaliation.  Therefore, you will need to follow a strict progressive discipline policy when dealing with an employee whose performance starts to slip, or who disobeys company policies or procedures.

Whenever you’re dealing with an employee who has engaged in a “protected activity” you should ask yourself the “but for” question, which is:

“But for their action, would I still be doing this?”

Be sure the answer is yes, and that you can convince others of that as well.

Remember Thomas Moore’s words:  Those who plot the destruction of others often perish in the attempt.

Are you aware that there already is a tax credit for hiring job seekers who face specific barriers to finding work?

If you’re not taking advantage of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, you should be! It could be money that you’re leaving on the table, and in this economy, none of us can afford to do that!

The plan may seem a bit complicated, but once you get a handle on it, it’s relatively simple.

You don’t need an outside person to administer it for you.  It just becomes part of your overall interview and hiring process.  It simply means that when you hire someone who falls in one of the 12 qualifying groups, you will receive a credit on your taxes.

You can utilize the credit over and over again, as there is no limit to the number of hires you can make under the program!

You could get a credit of up to $9,000!

• In most cases, the tax credit per individual is $2,400, based on the qualified wages paid during the first year of employment.
• In the case of a disabled veteran, the credit is as high as $4,800.
• For long-term TANF recipients, the credit can be as much as $9,000.

As you can see, the tax credits can really add up!

There are 12 categories of qualified employees under the WOTC program.

Other than the ones previously mentioned, they include:

• Veterans
• 18-39 year old food stamp recipients
• 16-17 year old summer youths
• Vocational rehabilitation referrals
• Ex-felons
• SSI recipients
• Hurricane Katrina victims
• Disconnected youths.

Due to the economy, we’re finding many more individuals applying for work that fall into one of the qualifying categories.  The same will probably be true for you!

Here’s how the WOTC process works:

The process is really simple:

1. Your new hire fills IRS Form 8850, and also either Form 9061 or 9062.
2. The forms are sent to the Olympia office of Employment Security, who administers the program in our state.
3. They verify the employee’s eligibility under the program.
4. You get a tax credit!

Chances are that you are already hiring individuals who qualify under the WOTC program, but you don’t realize it, because you’re not having them complete the paperwork during the interview process.  Simply incorporate the forms into your application packet, and begin collecting your tax credits today!

You can find additional helpful info about the WOTC program here.

Senator Derek Kilmer from the 26th District is taking the lead on many of these efforts in the Senate.  This gives businesses and citizens in our community a local voice on these issues.

You can read Governor Gregoire’s 2010 Jobs Plan here.

In the 1980s, I worked for the IT division of a large federal contractor.  We were early adopters of email technology.  Nowadays, email is a vital fixture of most businesses, but in the 1980s the concept was still in its infancy.  Employers were trying to understand email’s role in the workplace, while employees attempted to learn how to utilize its capabilities.

In 1986, the world learned an interesting lesson about the impermanence of the “delete” feature when the FBI was able to retrieve over 5000 emails deleted by Oliver North during the Iran-Contra affair.

Since that time, the roles and functions of email and the internet have expanded enormously, and employers and employees have continued to learn lessons (sometimes painful) about their uses accordingly.

Technology and Privacy in the Workplace

One of the biggest email and internet-related issues in the workplace is employee misconceptions about their right to privacy.

Frequently, employees assume that they have an expectation of a right to privacy in their emails and on their workplace computer.  In reality, employers have a right to protect their company’s security by ensuring that employees are using their work time effectively, and that company assets are being utilized in a cost-effective manner.

In order for you, as an employer, to protect your own interests, you should have a policy in your employee handbook regarding your employees’ internet and email usage.

Make Your Expectations Clear to Your Employees

It is up to you as an employer to determine where to draw the line with internet use.

The internet offers an alluring distraction to employees during the workday — wasting time, corporate dollars, and valuable bandwidth.  Statistics about employee personal use of email and the internet vary depending upon their source, but are invariably quite staggering.

Perhaps you find that allowing employees to use the internet on their lunch breaks acts as a boost to employee morale and increases employee-retention.  Perhaps you find that all non-work-related uses of the internet and email function as a distraction and a drain upon your company’s resources.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your policy clearly outlines what your expectations are regarding employee internet and email usage.

Tell Your Staff Big Brother is Watching

There is technology available to help you monitor internet activities, should you wish to do so.

Establish a company policy on the retention of email messages and internet browser histories.  Remind your employees that emails — and any other items on their company computers — are company property, which you have a right to monitor.

Make sure your employees do not expect privacy on their workplace computer.

Computer Porn = Hostile Work Environment

Unfortunately, sometimes employees’ internet usage goes beyond the frivolous, into much darker and inappropriate territory.  Occasionally, an employer calls us, wondering what to do about a staff member who is using the internet at work to view pornographic websites.

Situations such as this need to be dealt with immediately, as they can potentially create liability on the part of the employer, who is subject to laws which prohibit sexual harassment or the creation of a hostile work environment.

Companies with the means and know-how should have their IT departments block access to unacceptable websites.  At the least, all companies should have a sexual harassment policy in place.

Your company policy on internet usage should prohibit access to sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate websites.  It should clearly state that any employee accessing such websites is in violation of your sexual harassment policy, and thus subject to disciplinary action.

Protect Your Bandwidth

As technology changes and advances, new issues rear their heads.  The advent of Napster and other music-swapping software presents employers with an entirely different can of worms.  The downloading of music (illegal or otherwise) is a growing concern for employers.

The streaming of music and video from the internet consumes valuable bandwidth.  Many company policies prohibit the use of company computers for these purposes.  You may want to include a similar prohibition in your own policy.

Adapt Your Policy as Technology Changes

Technology has come a long, long way since Ollie North’s day.  In the 1980s, we never could have imagined some of the issues that are commonplace today.  20 years from now, the same will be true of us today.  The only constant about technology is how quickly it changes.  It’s challenging for company policies to keep pace, but for those of us in human resources, it is a challenge that must be met.

This article was originally posted in the October, 2007 edition of the Kitsap Business Journal.

It feels like a fitting time to discuss mental health issues in the workplace.

The statistics: The National Institute of Mental Health tells us that:

• One in four of adults in the U.S. at any one time are suffering from a diagnosable mental disorder
• Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in people ages 15 – 44

Mental health parity:

When Congress passed the financial bailout package in October, it contained legislation regarding mental health parity for American workers. Washington State has also passed mental health parity legislation.

The Society for Human Resource Management has supported mental health parity legislation, acknowledging the impacts that employees’ mental health issues have on companies and the workplace.

How do mental health issues directly affect the workplace?

Some of the obvious costs include:

• Increased absenteeism
• Lowered productivity
• Increased risk of other illnesses
• Safety risks
• Employee turnover

The statistics: Mental Health America reports that:

• 90% of employees agree that their health issues spill over into their professional lives, directly impacting their job performance
• Mental health conditions are the second leading cause of absenteeism

How can managers and employers recognize the signs of mental health disorders?

The first thing you can do about mental health issues in your workplace is to learn to recognize signs of depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

Some of the signs of mental illness include:

• Marked personality changes
• Inability to cope with problems
• Prolonged depression or apathy
• Feelings of extreme highs and lows
• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping
• Excessive fears or anxieties
• Strange or grandiose ideas
• Excessive anger, hostility or violence
• Working slowly and missing deadlines
• Appearing numb or emotionless
• Chronic lateness or absenteeism
• Forgetting directives, procedures and requests
• Talk of suicide

How should employers handle performance problems that stem from mental health issues?

It is, of course, never your role as an employer to diagnose an employee. While it is important to familiarize yourself with signs that performance issues may be related to a mental health condition, avoid making and acting upon assumptions.

• Always treat performance issues as performance issues only.

• Be prepared and know what steps to take in the event that an employee addresses the subject of having a mental health condition.

• When you must discuss performance problems with an employee you believe to be troubled, it is best to control your own emotions by planning the conversation ahead of time.

• Be prepared for the employee’s reaction and that it might be an emotional one, whether it is surprise, anger, denial or defensiveness. Give the employee time to talk, and remain focused on the performance issue itself.

• If the employee does bring up the fact that they are experiencing mental health issues, make sure that you are aware of and can tell them about resources in the community, such as Kitsap Mental Health.

• Post important phone numbers where employees can see them, such as on the lunchroom bulletin board. Don’t forget about 211, the United Way’s referral phone number.

• Treat your employee just as you would an employee with any medical condition. They have the same right to privacy regarding their situation as any other employee who is ill.

The Americans with Disabilities Act:

Remember that if your company is large enough, employees with mental health conditions will be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, requiring you to provide them with reasonable accommodations.

These accommodations might include such things as:

• Flexible hours during period of recovery
• Time off for counseling and doctor appointments
• Frequent leave during times of hospitalization or incapacitation during recovery
• Easy access to supervision
• More frequent feedback and guidance about performance

How can employers alleviate the impact of mental health issues?

Beyond handling employee mental health issues on an individual, case-by-case basis, the best thing you can do for your company is to also address this subject on a more general scale.

• Insurance: Review your insurance plan and make sure that your employees have good mental health coverage. Early treatment lowers the cost of care and gets employees back to work quickly.

• Wellness plans: Many companies today have a wellness program, since prevention is known to lower health care costs. Incorporate mental health into your company’s wellness program, if you have one.

The importance of removing the stigma of mental health conditions:

It is important to create a company culture that understands mental health issues and removes the stigma attached to them.

Many times an individual puts off seeking help for a mental health condition far longer than they would for another health condition, driving the cost of treatment and the time for treatment much higher.

Many mental health conditions are treatable. However, it is still more acceptable to admit you need time off to recover from your heart attack than to recover from clinical depression. But both are very treatable, and neither should mark an employee for the future.

Would you hire Mike Wallace, Abraham Lincoln, Buzz Aldrin, or Ellen DeGeneres? All have recovered from depression.

There is a long list of famous accomplished people who have coped well with mental illness. We would all gladly have them in our organizations. It’s an important lesson to remember when someone on our own staff is faced with that same challenge.

Conclusion:

As we business owners today struggle to keep up with rising health insurance costs, we may groan as more benefits are added.

However, we’re smart to listen to the human resource professionals who tell us that preventing and treating the mental illnesses of our workers will, in the long run, save us money and make our workplaces more efficient and productive.

West Sound Workforce nominates Anthea Kranovich as the September 2008 Employee of the Month!

Kranovich works as a Lobby Specialist, handling a multi-line phone system while employing excellent speaking and critical thinking skills.

In her nomination, Kranovich’s supervisor said:

Anthea came to us literally on the spur of the moment because an employee was leaving on vacation the next day.

With only a few hours of training, Anthea was able to absorb the job essentials and readily became our mainstay for the next week.

She did such an admirable job that we all agreed we would like to select Anthea to come on staff. We expect our Lobby Staff to be high performers, bringing excellent computer skills, as well as superb oral and written communication skills. Anthea has risen to the challenge in just two short months!

Kranovich was honored by West Sound Workforce with gifts, an award certificate and floral arrangement at her local awards celebration.

Congratulations, Anthea!

In these tough economic times, it is important for employers to understand the ins and outs of unemployment claims.

Terminations or reductions in force:

Although a termination or reduction in force (RIF) can’t always be avoided, it is important that employers do everything they can to minimize their liability and manage their claims.

After the RIF or termination, you will receive a Claimant’s Separation Statement from the Employment Security Department (ESD). If you RIF’d the employee due to lack of work, you cannot fight the claim, and only need to return the form if it contains any errors.

There is nothing you can do to prevent this claim from affecting your tax rate.

Terminations for cause:

If you terminated the employee for cause, complete the form.

The key to successfully making your case is to provide as much information and detail as possible, as quickly as possible. You should always maintain as much documentation as you possibly can, and give as many details as you are able when filling out the form.

You must return the form by the date indicated on it (usually about 10 days from the date it was mailed). If ESD calls for follow-up information, again, remember that it is crucial to provide lots of documentation and detail in a speedy fashion.

Will your account be charged for an employee who quits working for you?

It’s possible, yes. The answer depends upon whether or not the employee’s reasons for quitting are attributable to you.

Reasons that are NOT attributable to you when an employee quits include:

• Resignation for a legitimate job offer that ends up falling through
• Relocation with a spouse who is transferred
• Resignation due to the illness or death of an immediate family member
• Resignation to protect themselves or an immediate family member from domestic violence or stalking.

Circumstances such as these are not attributable to you, the employer, and generally your account won’t be charged. If it is, you should request relief of the benefit charges.

Reasons that ARE attributable to you when an employee quits include:

• A change in the worksite which materially increases an employee’s commute or difficulty of travel
• A deterioration of worksite safety that has been reported to the employer and which the employer has failed to rectify in a reasonable period of time
• A change in the employee’s job that violates their religious convictions or moral values

When an employee resigns for reasons that are attributable to you as the employer, your account will be charged.

Note: In this economy, many employers are also learning that they are responsible for unemployment benefits when employees’ hours or wages are cut by 25% or more.

Do you have to pay unemployment on an employee you terminated for good cause?

Surprisingly, the answer may be yes.

ESD’s guidelines about the definition of “cause” are simultaneously very specific and troublesomely vague. ESD only allows you relief of charges for “misconduct or gross misconduct”—but the definition of that is murky and up to the State.

Behavior that was termination-worthy to you may be considered by the ESD adjudicator to actually be something that was beyond the employee’s control.

For example, the ESD deems failing to grasp certain aspects of a job or being a poor fit for a position as an “inability to meet the minimum job requirements,” which is something that is beyond an employee’s control. Similarly, an employee who has repeatedly called in absent due to having a sick child at home also falls outside the ESD’s definition of misconduct.

Even if an employee was terminated for actual misbehavior, the adjudicator can still put the burden back on you by deciding that you failed to provide warnings about the consequences of the transgression, and that you did not give the employee sufficient opportunities to change prior to the termination.

In all of these circumstances, the employees will be entitled to their unemployment.

What can you do to protect yourself?

It is vital to keep great records so that you can prove the validity of your claims to the adjudicator when it comes down to your word vs. the employee’s.

It is also important to have a good, thorough Employee Handbook to prove that the employee was fully aware of your company’s policies on misconduct.

Notice to Base Year Employer forms

Many employers are unaware that they need to pay attention to the Notice to Base Year Employer forms they receive from ESD.

These forms arrive when a former employee has been separated from their next employer. The form appears to be informational in nature, and can list one or more former employees on it. Sometimes employers read it, and file it away, or toss it out.

In actuality, this form is notifying you that a former employee has filed for unemployment benefits and that your account will be charged, unless you respond within 30 days.

The Notice to Base Year Employer form shows:

• When someone worked for your company
• Wages reported
• The percentage of their unemployment that you’ll be charged, which could be as high as 100%

Even though it comes with no form to fill out or questions to answer, you need to provide the same information that you would on a Separation Statement questionnaire. You can do this via a letter, a fax, or by writing on the form and returning it.

If you don’t respond, your account will automatically be charged.

How can you handle the slowdown without your tax rate taking a hit?

In this volatile economy, many companies are finding that their staffing needs are fluctuating. It’s often hard to tell if business has stabilized to the point that an employee can be hired permanently onto the payroll.

If you are a small company and hire someone, only to let them go in a few months, you will be liable for their unemployment. When companies are smaller, RIF’ing an employee causes the business’s tax rate to take a bigger hit.

• Shared Work Program: If you’re experiencing a business slowdown, but are trying to hold onto your skilled workforce, Washington offers a Shared Work Program through ESD which provides unemployment benefits when a company reduces staff hours across the board.

  This program accommodates work units whose employees are working 20-36 hours a week. The employees receive a percentage of their unemployment benefits corresponding to their percentage cut in hours.

  The company has to apply to ESD to be accepted into the program. More information is available at  ESD’s website.

• Staffing companies: An effective solution is to hire employees through a staffing company. The staffing company bears the liability for the employees, and you can use them only when you need them.

  If you hit another bump in the road, you can lay people off without bearing any of the liability in your company. If your needs stabilize, you can take the employees onto your payroll.

• Rehire former employees: You can control your unemployment costs by rehiring former employees who are currently on unemployment.

  Place good former employees on the top of your list of prospective job candidates, and if you have a need, make those people priorities for job offers. Anyone collecting unemployment benefits has a responsibility to seek work and accept a suitable offer of work.

Where can I find help locally with navigating the unemployment system?

The unemployment system can be quite cumbersome, and finding answers to questions can be next to impossible.

It’s difficult to get the same person on the phone twice, and even the Director of Employment Security, Karen Lee, has admitted to us that any two claims adjudicators can make two different decisions on the same case. Unfortunately, ESD’s website provides much more information to employees seeking benefits than it does to employers seeking answers.

But recently, progress has been made!

Kathy DiJulio has been hired as the small business liaison. If a business has a problem or needs training, she’s the person to call. She can bring trainers in to a company, industry association, or business group such as a Chamber.

Kathy can be reached at (360) 902-9663.

IN ADVANCE:

• Prepare a checklist:Create a list of everything that must be addressed, such as IT security, facility security, benefits, company property and data, non-compete agreements, and final pay. Having a standard checklist prepared ensures that nothing will get missed, and makes a potentially emotional process more routine.
• Choose the right time: It’s better to terminate an employee late in the day and early to mid-week. A Friday termination means that the employee has two days in which they cannot do much more than worry and get angry.

  An early to mid-week termination gives the employee time to take positive actions, such as filing for unemployment, signing up with a staffing company to find employment, and applying for jobs in the newspaper or online postings.

  A late afternoon termination allows the employee to leave the building during the time of day when other employees are leaving, making the departure more natural.

• Prepare a final paycheck:Washington does not require an employee to be given their final paycheck at the time they are terminated, but rather during the regular pay period. However, paying the employee all wages due them during the termination meeting reduces one point of contention and eliminates a reason for future contact with the company.

  If your company has a policy to pay employees for accumulated vacation and/or sick leave, be sure to include that pay with the final paycheck.

  Never hold back pay due an employee, even if they are let go for good cause. It is a small price to pay to avoid conflict and legal wrangling.

DURING:

• Have a game plan:Decide beforehand how you will end the meeting, perhaps by standing to signal that it is done.
• Use a proper location: Hold the meeting in a neutral location (for example, a conference room) that allows you to stand up to leave without the employee hanging back in your office.
• Keep it short:The meeting itself should be short. The purpose is to inform the employee of your decision. Make it clear as soon as possible that the purpose of the meeting is to terminate the employee. It is not a time for discussion, as the decision has been made.
• Remain emotionally reserved:Do not apologize and don’t become emotional. Be prepared for a variety of reactions, from tears, to argument, to confusion. Prepare yourself well and don’t deviate from what you’re planning to say.
• Have info prepared:During the termination meeting, be prepared to give the employee information on the status of their company benefits. Providing this information is often a neutral way to transition the meeting to a close.

  The information should also be provided in writing and should cover medical benefits and COBRA if applicable, retirement or IRA benefits, flexible spending plan, life insurance, or educational reimbursement.

• Review documents: If the employee has signed any agreements with the company, such as a non-compete agreement or a confidentiality agreement, it’s a good idea to review those documents with the employee and to provide a copy during the meeting to take with them.
• Retrieve company property:The employee’s file should contain a record of company property in the employee’s possession. All of this should be retrieved before the employee leaves the building. Such items might include a building key, ID badge, cell phone, laptop, uniform, safety equipment or credit card.
• Discuss reimbursements: During the termination meeting ask the employee if they have any unpaid expenses, and have them complete an expense form for reimbursement as soon as possible.

AFTER:

• Information security:Immediately upon termination, the employee’s access to the company’s computers, network, email and security system needs to be eliminated. In a small business, this often requires making prior arrangements with an offsite tech support or network manager.

  It is never a good idea to allow a terminated employee to return to their computer or have access to company data or files.

• Vacating the premises:Allow the employee to gather their personal belongings from their workspace. You should have someone observe this process, but it is important that this is done in a respectful and helpful manner.

  If safety is a concern but you do not have onsite security, have another person in the room, or alert someone to your safety concerns and have them positioned close by.

• Address staff concerns:Remember that your entire office is impacted by the termination. Other employees may feel relief, anxiety, anger, confusion, or a variety of other emotions.

  It is your job to set a tone of confidence and respect, and to reassure the staff that the company is continuing to move forward and function at a high level.

  Your employees will want to know that their own jobs are safe, that the company is fine, and that the business will continue to do well. Your attitude will make all the difference.

Members of the workforce are scrambling to find jobs that are closer to their homes or that pay more—and we know this because our company is being inundated with their resumes. If you are employing people who are commuting a long distance to get to work, there’s a pretty decent chance one of their resumes has crossed our desks.

What can you do to retain these workers and avoid the heavy financial toll of turnover?

Here are some ideas being implemented by other companies.

• Compressed work weeks: This is a popular option for businesses that can handle an alteration in staff hours. By offering employees the choice of working four 10 hour days instead of the normal Monday through Friday workweek, their commuting burdens are reduced somewhat.
• Environmentally friendly solutions: Some companies are providing incentives for carpooling, or even creating bike-sharing programs.

  Organizing an employee carpool is an environmentally friendly solution that can also provide an opportunity to strengthen your employees’ relationships with one another.

  You can encourage participation in these kinds of programs by offering fun incentives such as free gas, carwashes, lunches, or special parking for carpool participants, or allowing those who bike to work to wear casual clothes.

• Telecommuting: This is another option that is increasing in popularity. In fact, Kitsap County has been chosen for a Washington State telecommuting pilot project.

  This 18-month $150,000 research project will involve 75 companies in Kitsap, as well as cross-Sound companies that employ Kitsap residents.

  • The goal is to monitor the telecommuting activities and productivity of the participants and to then compile the data into “tool kits” for employers to use to establish their own telecommuting programs.
  • Work centers with equipment and electronic hookups will be established around the county for mobile workers.
  • Kitsap businesses who embrace telecommuting programs for their staff will greatly reduce their costs of commuting, improve the quality of their lives, and do a good turn for the environment all in one fell swoop.
• Gas cards: Giving gas cards as bonuses or rewards for good performance boosts morale and eases the sting at the pump.
• Gas for ads: A rather creative and fun option being embraced by some companies is to give free gas in exchange for placing removable company logos or ads on employees’ cars.
• Paid travel expenses: You can pay for bus and ferry passes, or reimburse tolls.
• Increased mileage reimbursements: Another option is to increase your mileage reimbursement rate. Currently, the IRS’s mileage reimbursement rate is set at .505¢ per mile.

  You are not required to pay that amount, but many companies are raising their reimbursement rates to that figure to help defray costs for employees who drive as part of their job duties.

• Gas subsidies: Some companies are offering their current employees a daily gas subsidy. This gas stipend can come in many forms. For example, some businesses are adding $3.00 per day to their employees’ paychecks, or giving them an additional $50.00 per month.

  The philosophy behind this is that it’s cheaper to subsidize your staff’s gas expenses than it is to deal with the costs of turnover and recruitment.

The greatest thing about helping your employees contend with the rising cost of living is that everything you do is a demonstration of how much you care.

Each solution you present to your staff tells them how valuable you think they are. It shows both current and prospective employees that you care about them as people, not just as well-functioning cogs in a machine.

The payoff for you is a loyal workforce, which can be absolutely invaluable.

What’s the most effective solution of all?

While all of these possibilities we have suggested may help you retain the good staff that you currently have, there is a more long-term solution that local businesses need to adopt to deal with these economically trying times: HIRE LOCALLY!

The rapidly increasing number of resumes we receive from currently-employed individuals seeking work closer to their homes speaks volumes about this. Businesses need to focus on appealing to and hiring from the local workforce.

That, more than anything, is the most cost-effective solution for combating the economic crunch.