Fridays with Frank – Sept 27, 2019

Standard

Happy Friday!

September has been a whirlwind! First, with the October 9th deadline quickly approaching, I’ve conducted countless Sexual Harassment Prevention presentations (NY employers, remember the October 9th deadline!). Then, in addition to I-9 Palooza!, I spent three days at the NY State SHRM Annual Conference in Albany, where I had the pleasure to present on both the US Supreme Court and legislative advocacy for HR professionals.

But, the world doesn’t slow down because I’m busy. So let’s catch up together with another exciting edition of Fridays with Frank Continue reading

New Overtime Rule Issued By US Dept. of Labor

Standard

On September 24, 2019, Acting Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella announced that “for the first time in over 15 years, America’s workers will have an update to overtime regulations that will put overtime pay into the pockets of more than a million working Americans.”

Effective January 1, 2020, updates to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations include:  Continue reading

Fridays with Frank – Sept 20, 2019

Standard

Happy Friday!

Wow, what a great week. I spent three days in Cleveland, OH, at a conference aptly named I-9 Palooza! That’s right. Three days filled with all things I-9 and E-Verify!

Although nothing could match the excitement of I-9 Palooza, this week’s Fridays with Frank is still pretty cool.

Did You Just Call Me A Dummy?  No! However, LawLogix (the company behind I-9 Palooza!) published a great paperback and e-book called Form I-9 & E-Verify for dummies. Not as extensive as the 122-page USCIS Form I-9 Handbook for Employers (M-274), it’s an excellent resource for employers and HR professionals to understand the Form-I-9 and E-Verify process and requirements better. Continue reading

Fridays with Frank – Sept 13, 2019

Standard

Happy Friday the 13th!

If you’re like me, you can’t help laughing when you walk into an elevator and notice there’s no button for the 13th floor. (Spoiler Alert! Pressing 14 actually takes you to the 13th floor in those buildings!) I’m also probably tempting fate by admitting I think black cats are beautiful and I have no problem stepping on cracks in the sidewalk.

This week’s Fridays with Frank is guaranteed to be the best one yet. I was wearing my lucky socks when I wrote it!  Continue reading

Fridays with Frank – Sept 6, 2019

Standard

Happy Friday!

Why is it that short work weeks always seem to feel longer than a standard workweek? Especially when the short week is preceded by a vacation. Maybe it’s because I’m trying to get two weeks’ worth of work done in four days!

But, don’t worry, Fridays with Frank is a priority. So, let’s get to it!

She said, “Hi,” he heard, “Hello there, you sexy thing!”  Wow, no easing into potential conflict for me this week! In, Sexual Overperception Bias and Workplace Harassment, Jeffrey Polsky, an attorney with Fox Rothschild, discusses the role male sexual over-perception bias (yep, that’s a new one for me too!) may play in some forms of workplace harassment. Is this another lame attempt at excusing certain unacceptable behaviors? Continue reading

NYS Paid Family Leave Update-2020 Contribution Rate

Standard

HORMEL

There are a few things we’ve all become accustomed to at this time of year: kids returning to school, cooler temperatures at nights, pumpkin spice in everything imaginable (I detest everything pumpkin spice, so I would never joke about it, Hormel is really selling Pumpkin Spice SPAM), and NY State publishing the updated employee contribution rate for paid family leave.

On August 30, 2019, the NY State Department of Financial Services published its updated Paid Family Leave (“PFL”) benefits premium rate for 2020 Continue reading