HR Pieces: Human Resource October News

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October 2019

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Sincerely,

Lynette Weatherford

MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

President / Founder

October Contents

Advisor Spotlight: Camille Knowles, PHR, SHRM-CP
Tips for Open Enrollment
Fall Lunch & Learn: Medical Marijuana and the Workplace - Thank you attendees!
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Open for Registration
Career Opportunities: Sales, Marketing, Administrative, Project Management & Human Resources

Happy Anniversary Camille!

This month, HR Advisor Camille Knowles celebrates 2 years with HR Advantage! Camille has more than 20 years of HR experience and holds PHR & SHRM-CP credentials.

Having worked in both the private and public sector she understands the unique challenges and situations both may bring. Her areas of expertise include: addressing business challenges, benefits, labor and union administration, wage and hour law, workers' compensation, recruitment, FMLA administration, training, leadership, and personnel policies & procedures.

Camille has a strong passion to provide exceptional HR Advisor support for her clients, building trust and confidence in business leaders who seek her guidance. She is a true asset to HR Advantage and to her clients, who love working with her! Happy work anniversary Camille!

Call or email for HR guidance from Camille:

[email protected]

877.894.0202 ext. 3

Open Enrollment Season is upon us!

According to a nationally representative sample of 1,000 employees polled earlier this year, 33 percent cited "annoyance" or "dread" as their primary emotions when they thought about open enrollment and just 10 percent of workers said they were "confident" in the benefits choices they made when the enrollment process was over.

In another survey, HR software company Namely found that 31 percent of employees give their employer a "C" or lower when it comes to open enrollment.

Here are some tips from benefits experts that will help you raise your grade this open-enrollment season:

Be transparent and share the reasons you are making benefits changes. Break down the details and do the work for the employees. Provide scenarios so employees can better understand their options and cost breakdowns for different life situations.
Don't cram in every benefit at once. Communicate the technical details of your various benefits over time. Don't assume employees will weed through all your materials to make sense of the benefits offered to them. Consider using fun and attractive visual aids to hold their attention.
Give employees ample time to process their open-enrollment choices. Experts recommend 3 weeks.

Source: SHRM

HR Advantage Fall Lunch & Learn

Medical Marijuana and the Workplace

HR Advantage hosted a lunch & learn on October 3rd featuring expert panelists who provided insights on the changing landscape of marijuana usage, drug testing rights, and workplace policy.

Special thanks to Catherine Goodnight, Attorney with MVP Law, John Throckmorton with Tomo Drug Testing, Dr. Scott Galligos with Mercy Occupational Medicine and all those who attended!

Help us spread awareness for

Domestic Violence

HR Advantage attended the Harmony House Breakfast on September 25th to support awareness for domestic violence. On Friday October 28th, HR Advantage will join in the campaign to bring attention to issues of domestic violence in our community and our nation. Learn more about how you can support Harmony House in the fight against domestic violence.

FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

Registration Open

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse opened for registration on September 28th, and the database will go live on January 6. According to the FMCSA, "The Clearinghouse is a secure online database that will give employers, the FMCSA, State Driver Licensing Agencies, and state law enforcement personnel real-time access to important information about CDL Driver drug and alcohol program violations."

Those who must register include "employers, medical review officers, substance abuse professionals, and consortia/third-party administrators." Beginning January 6, the Clearinghouse will contain information on all drug and alcohol program violations by CDL drivers, including the following:

Reporting for duty or remaining on duty for safety-sensitive functions with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater, or while using any drug specified in the regulations (Part 40) other than those prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner.
Alcohol use while performing, or within four hours of performing, a safety-sensitive function.
Alcohol use within eight hours of a post-accident alcohol test.
Testing positive for specified drugs.
Refusing to submit to a required alcohol or drug test.
Actual notice by an employer of driver substance abuse.

Here are some tips for getting ready:

Encourage your CDL drivers to get help now if you are aware that they have a substance abuse problem.

Educate yourself and your staff.

Educate your CDL drivers and supervisors.

Select the persons responsible for entering Clearinghouse data and directing your compliance efforts. The Clearinghouse prohibits misuse of information in the database, and requires that reports be truthful and accurate. Criminal and civil penalties may apply in the event of violations. You may want to consider having your Clearinghouse staff sign an access confidentiality agreement.

If you haven't already done so, select your Medical Review Officer, Consortia/Third-Party Administrator, and Substance Abuse Professional so that they can register.

Source: Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Career Opportunities

HR Advantage offers executive recruitment of candidates in C-Suite, Sales, and Administrative positions for our clients. Our firm offers concierge services to both the employer and candidates, helping to assure the perfect match. Additionally, we have a database of thoroughly vetted, qualified candidates who are ready to begin working today. Click on the open positions below to learn more.

NEW - HR Generalist

(Please contact Karla Callaway for details)

[email protected]

Sales Representative

Competitive Base Pay + Commission

Warsaw, MO

Contact: [email protected]

Business Development Specialist

Base Salary + Commission

Greater Kansas City Area

Office Assistant

$17.30 hourly