WELCOME

Terrie McDonald
has joined McKenzieHR as a Client Services Specialist. Prior to joining us, Terrie spent 8 years working in the Human Resources Department with Intermodal Support Services in Jacksonville. She brings a well rounded HR experience to us including payroll processing, benefits administration, FMLA and many other areas.

Her e-mail address is
terriem@mckenziehr.com


Tamara Joiner
has also joined McKenzieHR as a Senior Human Resources Advisor. She definitely has her hustle up and we are glad to have her join our team. Tamara most recently worked at Acosta sales and Service as Vice President of Talent Management. She also was the Director of recruitment for Tree of Life in St. Augustine and Physicians Sales & Service in Jacksonville.

Her e-mail address is
tamaraj@mckenziehr.com


Our Services Include:

  • Outplacement services
  • HR audits
  • Compliant recordkeeping
  • New employee orientation
  • Customized handbooks
  • Safety programs
  • Resolution of harassment and discrimination complaints
  • Training and development
  • Implementation of Human Resources Information Systems
  • Mergers and acquisitions due diligence
  • Benefits administration
  • Recruitment assistance
  • Compensation administration
  • Unemployment hearings
  • Discipline and termination
  • Coaching and counseling
  • Performance management
  • Employee surveys

Go to www.mckenziehr.com for more information

ASK BOB

For no charge you have the opportunity to ask human resources related questions of Bob McKenzie, President of McKenzieHR

To ASK Bob click here

 

Contact Information

4237 Salisbury Rd, Bld 1, Suite 112
Jacksonville, FL 32216

Phone: (904) 861-2903
Toll-Free: (888) 861-2903


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Is That a Light in The Tunnel?

There’s optimism in the air. Many of the business people we speak with are seeing significant upticks in their business over the last few months. It seems that the proverbial spigot opened and orders are flowing in. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassed the 11,000 mark and stayed there for over a week now. Employers are taking advantage of the social security tax breaks which will save them from paying the employers portion of the 6.2% social security taxes.

In Florida, the legislature determined that a 1200% increase in unemployment taxes was too much for companies to bear and thankfully lowered the minimum taxes on unemployment and also lowered the maximum of taxable income from $8,500 back to the 2009 level of $7,000. Many other states have followed this example.

Are you ready for increased business?

We weren’t.  It is still creating some issues today.  At McKenzieHR, we were taken by surprise by the increased level of business that started in January and has not stopped.  January has traditionally been a relatively slow month for us, but in 2010 it was our best month since July of 2007.  We are still scrambling a little to keep up, but remedying it by hiring additional people.  Welcome to Terrie McDonald who joined us in February as a Client Services Specialist and Tamara Joiner, a Senior Human Resources Advisor who joined us a few weeks ago.  It has relieved the pressure.

After the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009, we have one of those good problems to have – yet it is still a problem and no amount of planning could have predicted the business increase from December of 2009 to January of 2010. Now I am probably jinxing us by stating this, but if our business is going in the right direction, many others are as well.

Are you ready for some business?

Many organizations have downsized to the point that they are not prepared. I was told that recruitment firms are struggling to keep up with the demand. Some have closed offices and others working with skeleton crews have seen such a big increase in job orders that they cannot handle it. This is a good problem to have – but still a problem if they can’t produce.

Do you have a plan to increase employees if needed? Do you have a relationship with a temporary firm or a staffing agency to get people to you quickly? Do you have applicants or former employees in the wings that you can bring aboard?

Do you know of the tax advantages available today?

The Hire Act was passed last month in which employers can be relived of paying the employer portion of their social security taxes if the employee was not employed for 60 days from being hired by you. All that needs to be done is have the employee complete a W-11 form. The IRS will be issuing new 941 forms soon so employers can take advantage of this tax break. We have posted the W-11 on our website (bottom right side of the home page) This form should become a part of your new hire paperwork. In addition to the social security breaks, if the employee stays with you for 52 weeks, the employer will be eligible for a tax credit of $1,000 on their 2011 taxes.

Do you know of the other tax credits available?

Under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program, by hiring individuals from certain targeted groups, employers can reduce their taxes up to $2,400 or $4,800 during the first year of employment or up to $9,000 over two years, depending on the qualified applicant. The targeted groups are: Qualified Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Recipients, Qualified Veterans/Disabled Veterans, Qualified Ex-felons, Designated Community Residents, Vocational Rehabilitation Referrals, Qualified Summer Youths, Qualified Food Stamp Recipients, Qualified Supplemental Security Income Recipients and Long-Term Family Assistance Recipients. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 expanded the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include disconnected youth and unemployed veteran. Keep in mind that these tax credits are only available for private, for profit organizations.

These programs do not create jobs and they should not influence hiring decisions, but they do allow companies to save money that can be used to re-invest in the organizations. Investment in business growth has been stagnant for over two years now. If you are hiring, take advantage of the cost savings available to you.

Get your Hustle Up

(This is a Tamara Joiner-ism and a phrase we will be using more in the future)

Get moving and get to planning and do it soon.

Gotta get your hustle up just to keep up.

   
 
   
 

From our last Mailer in January (sorry but we have been busy – no excuse for missing three months - just my rationalization) entitled, What’s Your Theme Song, we received the following comments:

From Les Kreiger of Assessment Technologies "Believe it or not for twenty two years I've had an insurance restoration company whose theme song, sung at every conference, is 'Keep The Home Fires Burning!'"

From Don Dymer at SingleSource, "If I were a Rich Man."

From a job hunter who wants to remain anonymous, "I Want You to Want Me."

Thanks for all the comments

Have a great rest of the year.

Bob McKenzie
President
McKenzieHR

potential@mckenziehr.com

 

January 2010
What's Your Theme Song?
December 2009
2009 Was Definitely a Murphy Year
August 2009
Swine Flu Preparations - Knowledge of Risk is the Best Course of Action
July 2009
Are Rising Healthcare Costs Making You Sick?
June 2009
Diversity – Who Cares?
May 2009
Why the Huge Increase in Discrimination Charges?
April 2009
EEOC Charges at a Record High
March 2009
Eaten Any Brains Lately??
February 2009
Just Trying to Keep Up with All of the Changes
January 2009
Compliance Update Handbooks Need Updating Too
December 2008
Employee Free Choice Act – Not a Free Choice at All
November 2008
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act Clarified
October 2008
Effective Handbooks Save Time and Money
September 2008
Negating the Nattering Nabobs of Negativism
August 2008
What's Your People Plan
July 2008
Human Resources Strange But True People Stories
June 2008
HR Compliance Issues at the Forefront
May 2008
Performance Management Never Stops
April 2008
Don’t Make Tough Times Tougher
March 2008
What Ever Happened to the Personal Touch?
December 2007
It's That Time of Year Again
November 2007
HR Hot Topic #3 - Immigration
September 2007 -
HR Hot Topic #2 - Controlling the Cost of Medical Benefits
August 2007 -
HR Hot Topic #1 Recruitment and Retention
June 2007 -
Strategic Human Resources is Not an Oxymoron
May 2007 -
Is It Really a Hostile Work Environment?
April 2007 -
What happens after a new employee is hired?
March 2007 -
SHIFT HAPPENS
February 2007 -
Imagine
January 2007 -
Discrimination & Harassment
December 2006 -
IT'S BEEN A HECK OF A YEAR
October 2006 -
The Why Label Generation Y?
September 2006 -
The World of Recruitment Has Changed
August 2006 -
Keep Your "A" Players
July 2006 -
Traits of a High Performance Workplace
June 2006 -
Is a Mediocre Employee Better Than No Employee?
May 2006 -
The Compliance Vultures are Circling – Are You Prepared?
April 2006 -
Is Administrivia Keeping HR from Getting a Seat at the Table?
March 2006 -
Agreeing to Disagree or Avoiding the Subject
February 2006 -
Happy Valentine's Day
January 2006 -
Be a Talent Magnet and a Talent Utilizer