As a small business owner, you may be considering using virtual workers to expand your workforce. A virtual worker is an employee who uses technology to complete their duties outside of the traditional workplace setting. Many businesses today find this workforce model quite attractive for several reasons. For one, having a virtual business work model allows employers to reduce the …
Ask Cari: How do I Legally Terminate an Employee?
Most small business owners will occasionally have to face the unpleasant task of firing an employee. Small businesses, in particular, rely heavily on each employee. An underperforming employee may not only lower the morale of other employees who have to pick up the slack, but may also jeopardize the success of the business. When an employee must be terminated, it …
Legalized Marijuana: What Every Employer Needs to Know
The marijuana industry is huge and growing. In 2017, legal marijuana was a $1.5 billion industry in Colorado alone according to data from the Colorado Department of Revenue, and it has been identified by many analysts as one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. To date, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized either medical …
The Employee Handbook: The Holy Grail of Your Business
Employee handbooks address the who, what, where, why, and how of your business operations. Your employee handbook will protect you and your business by setting appropriate expectations, and providing consistency for your employees when situations arise. What Information Should an Employee Handbook Include? Ideally, employee handbooks address anything significant related to your company, employees, operating policies, and applicable laws – …
Ask Cari: What Does “At Will Employment” Mean?
The term “at will employment” may be interpreted many ways by a lay person, but it is actually a legal term meaning that either party (employer or employee) may terminate employment at any time without notice for any reason (with limited exceptions), unless there is a contract stating otherwise. However, a contract may modify that by wording such as “I …
New York Employment Law: Sick Days in New York City
In New York State, there is no requirement for employers to provide sick day benefits to employees (either paid or unpaid). However, Section 195.5 of the New York Labor Law states: “Every employer shall notify his employees in writing or by publicly posting the employer’s policy on sick leave, vacation, personal leave, holidays and hours.” If an employer does not …
Ask Cari: I Have a Problem with Employees Missing Shifts. Should I address this in my Employment Handbook?
I always tell my business clients that having an employee handbook is imperative. It is, essentially, the laws of the employment relationship. It can be as detailed as the employer would like and can cover anything that might arise affecting the employer/employee relationship. While many state and federal laws govern certain aspects of the employer/employee relationship, a lot is left …