Listen To Larry – Elin Associates

Meet Larry Elinskas: Prior to starting his own consulting practice in June of 1998, Larry enjoyed nearly 30 years experience as a human resources practitioner in a variety of industries. Since starting Elin Associates, Inc., he has assisted small and medium sized companies in the areas of recruitment, handbook preparation, compensation and benefits, and the implementation of programs designed to minimize the risk of formal complaints and lawsuits. He has also been a frequent seminar speaker on a variety of human resources subjects.

Larry knows that to meet a company’s human resources needs, the path to success is achieved by a thorough understanding of the client’s requirements and culture and by providing flexible solutions to meet those requirements.

Larry received graduate and undergraduate degrees from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

The Holiday Season!

Time to hang the mistletoe, bring out the holiday cheer, give presents to everybody (the more personal the better!), hugs and kisses abound!!! Not really, only kidding!

Social Media in the Workplace

It’s hard to pick up any communications media piece these days that does not contain some reference to online social networking. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, for example, have become household words. Social media use has exploded, and it’s here to stay. So, what happens when these media are brought into the workplace?

Employee Handbooks: A Must in Today’s Work Environment

It might seem like old hat, but having a current employee handbook is more important today than it was years ago. In today’s work environment, employees are more apt to turn to an outside source for advice on how to handle a situation or an issue that did or does not please them in their workplace. Your best protection may be a properly written employee handbook.

Things to Do

OSHA 300A Summary of Work Related Injuries and Illnesses

All employers covered by OSHA Part 1904 must complete this Summary page, even if no work-related injuries or illnesses occurred during the year. Use your OSHA 300 Log to count the number of entries in each category. If there were none for a particular category, enter “0”. The Summary must be posted from February 1 to April 30. If an inspector visits you, one of the first areas he/she looks at is your safety and health records. Failing to record, or improperly recording work-related injuries and illnesses can result in significant fines.

New Fact Sheet Released by the DOL Regarding Unpaid Internships

In these difficult economic times, it is not unusual for employers to continually seek ways to do more with less. With students home from school, the idea of internships may come to mind. What could be better than offering a student real-world experience while having an extra pair of hands around the workplace? However, if you as an employer are thinking of utilizing unpaid interns to supplement your workforce, think again.

Watch Out for Employee Misclassifications!

You can hardly pick up a professional journal these days without seeing something relating to a company being investigated because of employee “misclassification.” What exactly does that mean, and what are the consequences?

Progressive Disciplinary Action

The purpose of progressive disciplinary action is to improve employee performance. Progressive disciplinary action should not be confused with an immediate call for action for a serious violation of company rules, an illegal act, or other egregious behavior.

Politics in the Workplace

With any political election, it is a good time to remind employers and employees what can and cannot be discussed in the workplace. Private employers have the right to prohibit political speech entirely in their workplaces. The First Amendment protections of free speech apply only to “state action,” not to nongovernmental employers.

Harassment Update…

This past fall, harassment, particularly sexual harassment, has taken on a new significance. Starting with the Harvey Weinstein allegations, harassment complaints have skyrocketed and not just in Hollywood and the news industry. Private employers too must pay attention to the potential of increased harassment in their workplaces.

When an Employee Resigns…

The resignation of an employee can be a stressful and complicated experience. How should the process work? What are your legal responsibilities? Here are some of the common questions we get on this topic…

Cough, Cough… “I think I’m Getting Sick!”

Summer is gone and the change of weather is readily apparent. With the change of weather comes employee coughs, sneezes, sinus infections and the like. Might be a good time to remind employees about your call in procedures relative to calling in sick. Most employers do have a procedure indicating who to call and how long to call in before the scheduled start time. Usually these procedures indicate to call in each day of illness with a potential return to work date.

OSHA Form 300A Posting and OSHA 300 Records

Under OSHA’s recordkeeping rule, employers with 10 or more employees are required to record injuries and illnesses that result in death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness, or if they involve a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional.

OSHA in the Office

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) does not just pertain to those in the construction or manufacturing industries.

Regulatory Changes to Form I-9 and the FMLA

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 in 2017 containing an expiration date of 08/31/2019.