Co-written with: Lee Neagle of Certa Scientia, LLC & Kevin Baxter of Advanced Network Service, LLC One of the unintended consequences of working from home during the pandemic is that employees often use their own personal electronic devices—cell phones, laptops,...
After months of zoom meetings and quarantine haircuts, employees are returning to the office, some with gratitude, some with fear, most with gratitude and fear. As business owners and managers, how can we make it easier on our employees? How can we reduce their fear...
I have seen posts, memes and received calls from frustrated employers who are struggling with keeping their businesses profitable and keeping their employees safe. Because several states are experience a resurgence in Coronavirus cases, I am encouraging my clients to...
The other day I went into the office for the first time in over two weeks. I had been picking up the mail every few days, but hadn’t spent more than five minutes there. Though my commute is an easy one, traffic was heavier than I expected. This made me...
I filed for unemployment. I never thought I’d say those words again. The last time I did was during the mortgage industry collapse more than a decade ago, which put millions of us out of work. Those were desperate times, and I thought of unemployment as a resource to...
Captain’s Log: Day—I have no idea—of quarantine. The people of Earth are secluded in their homes, coming out only at night wearing gloves and masks to scavenge for food or stretch their legs…. Okay, I’m getting a little punchy—not because I’ve got nothing to do like...
Leadership during the COVID-19 crisis has taken on a new face. For many, it is the face of confusion and uncertainty. But it doesn’t have to be that way. My team has been virtual from its inception—not because I was so forward thinking, but because I didn’t want to...
As of Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) goes into effect, and employees are now eligible to file for an additional 80 hours of sick time and/or expanded FMLA leave. Several of my clients have asked for clarification...
It was only a matter of time until I received a call from a client saying that one of their employees had been exposed to the Coronavirus. Here’s what I told them about how to proceed, how to avoid HIPPA violations, and how to protect the rest of their staff. What...
If I have to temporarily close my business, do I have to pay my employees during this time? Not generally, but here are the rules: Nonexempt hourly employees do not have to be paid during business closures provided they don’t perform any work at all during the closure...