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ARE YOU READY FOR 2012?
Now that 2011 has come to a close, we want to make sure you are prepared to hit the ground running for 2012. Below is a "To-Do" list that we at NFC have deemed the TOP 10 ESSENTIAL TASKS employers should complete to prepare effectively for the new year.
Please Email or Call Us at 973.564.9100
Should You Need Any Assistance in Preparing Your Business for 2012.
1 Post New NLRA Notice by April 30, 2012 - NEW DEADLINE!
All private sector employers subject to the NLRA must post a notice of employees' rights under the Act, including the right to unionize. Click here for copies of the notice and posting requirements.
2 Post & Distribute New NJ Wage & Hour Notice
All NJ employers are required to post a form notice summarizing the employer's record keeping and reporting obligations under NJ's wage & hours laws in a conspicuous place. A written copy of the form notice must also be distributed to all new employees hired between 11/7/11-12/7/11, and all current employees. Click here for a copy of the notice.
3 Update Your Employee Handbook
Check your employee handbook and make sure policies for Social Media, Electronic Communications Systems, and Breaktime for Nursing Mothers are all up to date. 2012 Handbooks should also reflect the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment.
4 Schedule Critical Training Sessions for Q1
Plan sessions now for employees on Anti-Harassment, Using Social Media Responsibly, Performance Management Training, Complying with the FMLA and ADA, and Wage and Hour Compliance.
5 Review Your Job Advertisements and Postings
Effective June 2011, NJ employers were barred from publishing job listings that exclude unemployed applicants from consideration. Job listings cannot require "current employment" as a qualification. Click here to learn more.
6 Learn About the Latest Advances in Smart Phone Technology and Social Media
Protect your business with an appropriate Social Media Policy, educate yourself about the DOL's new smartphone app that lets employees track work time on their phones, and learn about E-Verify -- an Internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
7 401(k) Plan Sponsors Should Provide the Required Plan Notices to Their Eligible Employees ASAP
For calendar year Plans, these notices should have been distributed by Dec. 2, 2011. Depending on the plan's format, these notices can include the Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Annual Notice, the Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangements Safe Harbor Notice, the Qualified Default Investment Alternative Notice, and the 401(k) Automatic Enrollment Notice.
8 Make Sure You are in Compliance With the NY Wage Theft Prevention Act
Effective April 2011, the NY Wage Theft Prevention Act (WTPA) amended NY's existing Labor Law increasing an employer's notice and record-keeping requirements, and increasing civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance. Click here for more details on this amendment and the associated requirements.
9 Make Sure You are in Compliance with Connecticut's Sick Leave Act: Effective January 1, 2012
Connecticut employers with 50 or more employees must provide a minimum of 5 paid sick days per year to their "service workers". Click here for the key provisions of the new law including eligibility and notice requirements.
10 Determine if You Can Benefit from the IRS's Voluntary Classification Settlement Program.
If your company currently has workers classified as "Independent Contractors", evaluate whether the classifications are appropriate, and if not, whether you are eligible to take advantage of the IRS's Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP). Click here to learn more on the IRS's VCSP.
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