HR News

Employee Relations

Many Managers Are Uncomfortable Communicating with Their Employees - Here’s How You Can Help Them

Here’s a startling statistic: Nearly 70% of managers are uncomfortable communicating with their employees. That number comes from a Harris Poll conducted on behalf of Interact, and it indicates that managers may at times shy away from doing basic management duties. If uncomfortable managers avoid giving feedback, offering praise, showing vulnerability, providing direction, or communicating in general, they’re not helping the bottom line. Poor employee performances will go unaddress... Read More

Employment Law

Did You Know?

We’re often asked whether the pay of exempt employees can be reduced if they work less than 40 hours in a week. And the answer is almost always no.

The very idea of the overtime exemption, at least in the case of White Collar employees, is that you are paying them to complete important tasks that require use of their own discretion and are less (or not at all) time-clock-sensitive. You pay them more than the bare minimum and can expect more than the bare minimum in terms of time commitment. But if they can complete their tasks in less than 40 hours – because they have used their discretion well –... Read More

The HR Support Center News Update

Content Spotlight

Natural Disaster Dialogue

Natural disasters create challenging HR issues and questions that add stress to employers and employees at the worst possible moments — when they need to be focusing on healing, recovery, and rebuilding. At the HR Support Center, we want to make sure you have a place to turn for help with navigating these challenges, so your employees can get through the crisis. To help alleviate some potential stress, we’ve put together the top five frequently asked HR questions and answers during an emergency: <... Read More

Equal Pay Act

Massachusetts Strengthens Its Equal Pay Act

News Brief

The Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (MEPA), passed in 1945, was the first state law of its kind. But it hasn’t provided enough detail to be useful to employees or stiff enough penalties to be compelling for employers. The amendments to MEPA, which take effect July 1, 2018, make the law significantly more relevant. Equal Pay for Equal Work Under the updated MEPA, employers are prohibited from paying employees who do “comparable work” different wages because of sex. Wages include all forms of compensation, including benefits. C... Read More

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