Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2009


PHR/SPHR CERTIFICATION PREP STARTS FEBRUARY 10

80% PASS RATE

Click here for more information.

Read About our Outplacement Services

Click here

The Florida minimum wage will go up to $7.21 per hour on January 1, 2009

Download the 2009 Florida Minimum Wage Poster here


New FMLA Poster Also Available
Click here to download.


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

A New and Improved
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

Friend's Name:
Friend's Email:

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view some these linked files. Click here to download the reader now.


 

If this email is not displaying properly, please click here.

This newsletter is provided as a service to our clients and friends with the premise that informed clients are better clients. If you like it, feel free to pass it along to others. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information on this or any other human resources related subject.

If you would like to remove your name from our email list, please follow the instructions at the bottom of this newsletter.



 

Compliance Update
Handbooks Need Updating Too

We would like to thank the Federal Government again for giving our firm more work to do as the number of changes in 2009 are probably more than the last 5 years combined. In fact, the labor law firm Fisher & Phillips recently issues a newsletter with the headline, “Put Handbook Review on Your 2009 TO DO List.”  We couldn’t agree more. With all of the changes, a handbook update is an absolute must.

Here are a few of the changes that businesses will have to make in this New Year.  Other recent changes include a Guns in the Workplace law and domestic abuse leave in the state of Florida.  Other states have also enacted new laws effective January 1.  For example, the District of Columbia passed a law requiring employers to grant mandatory paid sick leave.  The amount of which is dependent upon the number of employees of the establishment.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – The Department of Labor has issued the final regulations for updating the Family and Medical Leave Act.  The FMLA added two types of military leave as qualifying for protected leave under the Act.  The first is a qualifying exigency when a member of the National Guard, Reserves or retired military is called to active duty to support a contingency operation.  In these cases, the employee’s spouse, child or parent must be granted FMLA upon request to take care of personal matters such as attending military events, child care and school activities, counseling or rest and relaxation. 

The second military leave applies to the serious injury or illness of a covered service member who suffers an illness or injury while in service that may render the service member medically unfit to perform the duties of his or her office, grade, rank or rating.  For leave under this example, the maximum leave has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks and also includes, spouse, child, parent or nearest next of kin.

In addition to the above changes, there were a few other changes to the paperwork needed and the time that can be attributed to FMLA leave.

Make sure you know the changes and how they will affect your business. 

Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA) – on January 1st, the amendments to the American Disabilities Act went into effect.  If you need more information on this amendment, take a look at our November mailer at https://mckenziehr.com/enews/november2008.htm.

I-9 Forms – Effective February 2, 2009, all employers must use a new I-9 form.  This is posted on our website at www.mckenziehr.com.  Look on the bottom right side of the home page. In calling the USCIS information center, we were informed that the I-9 form currently posted on the USCIS website which was revised 06/05/07 will not be accepted after March 17, 2009.  The I-9 form posted on our website is the most current as it was updated on 6/16/08 and should be used after February 2, 2009. 

E-Verify – As a result of a lawsuit filed by several business groups, including The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Society of Human Resources Management, the federal government is delaying the implementation of the final rule that requires many government contractors to use the E-Verify system to confirm the work authorization of its employees and new hires.  The new regulation was to take effect on January 15th;   however, the implementation has been delayed until February 20th.  This delay will give the Obama administration the opportunity to review and decide on the regulation.  Until then, employers can voluntarily use E-Verify.  
 - From Debra Milstein Gardner, President of Workplace Dynamic and an Affirmative Action Plan specialist with an office in Owens Mills, Maryland.

Minimum Wage -   The following state minimum wage changes became effective January 1, 2009: Arizona – $7.25; Colorado – $7.28; Connecticut – $8.00; Florida – $7.21; Missouri – $7.05; Montana – $6.90; New Mexico – $7.50; Ohio – $7.30; Oregon – $8.40; Vermont – $8.06; Washington – $8.55.


  GRASS ROOTS EFFORT NEEDED TO ROOT OUT EFCA

Employee Free Choice Act - (EFCA) – if you did not read or act upon last month’s newsletter – it is important to read it and act on it NOW. 

Here’s the link – contact your Senators today! https://mckenziehr.com/enews/december2008.htm

If you need more information or training on EFCA – contact me at bobm@mckenziehr.com.
   
       
 

Thanks for reading the McKenzie Mailer.  Let us know if we can be of assistance in updating your handbook or implementation of the new FMLA guidelines.

Kind regards,

Bob McKenzie
President
McKenzieHR

potential@mckenziehr.com

 

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