Federal labor laws have been evolving at a rapid pace. In an effort to measure and balance the benefits versus legal claims from workers, the U.S. government, federal, and local authorities are reviewing and looking to proactively pass new labor laws to protect the rights of workers.
Notably, in the effect of such regulations, it is progressively becoming common for cities and counties to execute laws that extend the gap between labor and benefits where state and federal constitution is seen as insufficient. US Labor Laws prepare employers across the country to comply and form several of these laws which will take effect this year.
To cite some of these regulations, here are two of the most significant laws that brought changes since January of 2017:
Paid Sick Leave
Increasing the number of paid sick time laws have been submitted and passed in cities and states and in some part of the US as many companies relinquish the vacation or sick time off policies in favor of one centralized Paid Time Off (PTO) policy. This may have the effect of leading employees becoming less willing to take time off when they are sick which compromises their health and can have an impact on the overall workforce. In reference to this matter, PayWizard has organized an overview list of some laws that cover Paid Sick Leave policies in order to strengthen employees’ stability.
Changes in Minimum Wage
While some parts of the country are facing a wage gap as the cost of living outpaces the rates in wages, the US government has implement higher rates for employees. In fact, some metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Washington, and Seattle have determined to gradually increase the minimum wage from $11 to $15 per hour over the next few years as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulated the minimum wage for employees in private and public sectors, in both State or Federal governments stating that non-exempt employees must be paid the minimum or higher wage rate. To help us illustrate this topic, Dan Caplinger of Fox Business has come up with a chart that shows the minimum wage increases in 2017.
As a result of these and other changes in the laws, many companies are considering future reduction of employees and hiring global staff as an alternative. That is one of the biggest benefits of using a service like HireSmart Virtual Employees. We provide a hybrid approach to staffing. Allowing you to use managed outsourcing for some roles and using employees for those functions which are best served in-house.
We have helped many businesses in achieving their goals in this aspect. We are happy to do the same with you. Click here to schedule a call and see how we can help you.
Keeping organized and on top of tasks requires task management software to help stay focused. We are going to share our top picks for task management software to help you better manage your staff and your priorities.
Things to consider when evaluating any software are costs, ease of implementation, and ability to integrate into your existing work style. Some people adapt better to technology than others, so understanding how you work best will ultimately drive the decision for the best software for you.
One of our top picks for on-line task management is Trello. Trello allows our virtual staff to manage their own tasks while sharing those tasks that need collaboration. At any given time, we can review the cards and make notes, add documents, and set deadlines. It allows for collaboration and a visual accounting of the tasks left outstanding. This tool is free for the basic usage, but if you want to make use of more features, then you will need to use the paid function.
One task management software that a lot of people overlook is Outlook. Outlook has many features that a lot of people don’t use. I personally love using outlook for those recurring tasks, meetings, as well as helping me plan my week. Whenever I get a deadline, I put it in my Outlook calendar on the date/time it is due, add a reminder even several days before the due date and then I have the time blocked out in my calendar already for the work. Access can be granted to others to edit, add, or view items. One feature a lot of people don’t know about is taking emails from their inbox and dragging it over to the calendar. It creates an appointment that can be scheduled and reminders can be set. This means that emails can be filed, but the urgency of the request can actually be scheduled. I absolutely love this feature.
Another task management software that a lot of people like is Basecamp. I see this more as a collaboration tool more than a task management software, but due to its popularity, I felt we should include it. Personally, I find the interface to be cumbersome and more challenging that Trello and certainly not as efficient as Outlook, but I can certainly see the advantages when you have a larger team.
If you are interested in adding to your team and have considered virtual staff, but not sure how to do so, we highly encourage you to book a consultation with us. We have helped many companies across the barrier into remote staff saving them thousands of dollars each year and get even better results than ever before. For an appointment – you can click here to book a time.