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New OSHA Recordkeeping Rules

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to keep track of serious work-related injuries and illnesses. The information aids employers, workers, and OSHA to: evaluate the safety of a workplace, understand industry hazards, and implement worker protections to reduce and eliminate hazards in preventing future workplace injuries and illnesses. Currently employers with more … more »

The Benefits of Outsourcing Exit Interviews

Introduction The focus of this article is not primarily designed to demonstrate the value of an exit interview for an exiting employee. The benefits for exit interviews, in most cases, are clearly recognizable for several reasons. Obviously, a good portion of the exit interview is based on wrapping up HR details such as completing final … more »

A Walk Through the Process of a Human Resources Audit

Introduction There are two words in every organization that evoke trepidation in both management and human resource professionals. Those words are “compliance” and “audit”. As much negative connotation as these two words bring to mind, the underlying purpose of these words is to benefit both the organization and the employees. In the heat of the … more »

What to Consider When Reviewing an Applicant’s Background Check

If your company is like most employers, they run background checks on all of their applicants after an offer of employment has been made with the organization. Odds are that the applicant that the organization is trying to hire may have a criminal history, as there are over 65 million people, or 20% of the … more »

Are Your Company’s Background Checks Compliant?

When employers are making staffing decisions, whether it be hiring, reassignment, or promotion, it is always important to consider the background of the new hire or internal hire. Important background information may include: A Social Security number trace to ensure a valid social security number, a national criminal search to search for criminal-related activity nationwide, … more »

Summer Interns

It is almost summer and many organizations have plans to utilize college interns. Have you asked the question as to whether interns should be paid a minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for services that they provide to your organization? If not, please consider these suggestions first. Internships should be … more »

Progressive Disciplinary Action and Documentation

Conflict in the workplace is not something that owners, managers and supervisors seek out. However, it happens every day in organizations of all sizes. Most management-level employees do not do a great job of documenting negative subordinate behaviors, work habits, or performance, nor do they even do an okay job. Documentation for negative employee behaviors, … more »

Nonexempt Employees and Travel Pay

New Focus HR Consultants frequently receive calls from employers asking the question, “Do I need to pay nonexempt employees for travel time?” The answer is confusing to most as it is “maybe?” The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) travel-time regulations include a provision that has confused employers, leading them to mistakenly think that they … more »

Harassment in the Workplace

What is your organization’s obligation when it comes to maintaining a workplace free of harassing conduct? What are your managers and supervisors obligations when it comes to harassing conduct in the workplace? These are questions that most employers are not able to answer when asked. So, hopefully, this article will assist both organizations and … more »

IRS Alerts – Phishing Scams

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued two warnings about phishing scams that started in 2016 and are continuing into 2017. The first alert issued on 1/25/17, which was directed primarily at corporations and tax professionals, provided information about the Form W-2 scam. The second alert issued on 2/2/17, states that the scheme is not … more »

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MISSION STATEMENT

New Focus HR is a human resources consulting and training company that services all organizations. Our expert team collaborates with businesses to attract, motivate, retrain and retain their biggest assets, employees. While engaged with an organization, our focus is to find solutions that improve the company’s internal HR-related practices while increasing results at the same time! Our focus. Your results.

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