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December 2018
 


From the HRA Team to you ~ Thank you!
We wish you a very happy Holiday Season!

Karla, Candida,
Grace, Lynette & Camille

During 2018 the following services were provided to hundreds of employers across the region:
  • HR Audits
  • Employee Career Placements
  • Employee Handbooks
  • Employee Training
  • Employee Separations
  • Benefits Administration
  • Compensation Analysis
  • Assistance with Employee Relations
  • Fielding HR Hotline calls



Contact us at  info@hradvantageweb.net 
or 877-894-0202 
Dece mber  Contents
  • How About Ditching the Annual Holiday Party?
  • Missouri Medical Marijuana Law Raises Questions for Employers
  • 2019 Salary Budget Inch Upward Ever So Slightly
  • Have an HR Need?
  • HR Tips of the Week
  • Career Opportunities
How About Ditching the Annual Holiday Party?
By Eleina Loveland

Is the annual company holiday party still a thing?

In recent years, many companies have downsized their holiday parties to less lavish affairs or hosted other types of events that replaced the traditional after-hours holiday soiree.  The decision whether to host a holiday part may come down to cost or employee interest.

Moving away from the traditional party "seemed to come along with businesses becoming more budget-conscious in the aftermath of the recession, but it is also consistent with the business trend of focusing on company culture.

One reason companies may choose events other than the traditional party to celebrate the holidays could be the desire to avoid potential liability. An employer could be held responsible for any activities that happen during the party, and some companies have decided the risk may not be worth it. Employment attorneys agree that holiday parties can be risky for employers.  Read more.
Missouri Medical Marijuana Law Raises 
 Questions for Employers
By Lauren M. Sobaski

Missouri voters approved Amendment 2 on Election Day 2018, one of the three medical marijuana measures appearing on the state's ballot. Amendment 2 adds an article to the Missouri Constitution legalizing medical marijuana for qualifying patients . With a new law comes new questions about how this development will affect workplaces across the state. Here are a series of the most common questions Missouri employers may have while adjusting to this new reality.

What is Amendment 2?
Amendment 2 makes Missouri one of the 33 states in the country that have legalized marijuana to some degree. Amendment 2 does not change federal law, which continues to classify marijuana as illegal under the Controlled Substances Act, even if it is used for medial reasons.

Do I Have to Let My Employees Work While Under Influence?
No. Missouri employers may continue to enforce their drug-free workplace policies prohibiting employees from working under the influence of marijuana even after the new law takes effect. In fact, employers will be pleased with the express language in Amendment 2 which provides a safety net for employers ?free of wrongful discharge claims".

Click here  for more questions on how Amendment 2 may affect employers.
2019 Salary Budget Inch Upward Ever So Slightly
By Stephen Miller

Salary-increase budgets for U.S. employers next year are projected to grow by just 0.1 % above the actual average budget increase for 2017, confirming that wage growth remains surprisingly stagnant despite record low unemployment.

U.S. salary budgets are projected to rise by an average of  3.2 %  in 2019, up from an actual year-over-year increase of 3.1 % for 2018, according to World at Work 2018-2019 Salary Budget Survey: Top-Level Results , released on July 10.

Employers Beware
Slow or even nonexistent (after inflation) base-pay raises could mean higher turnover rates are ahead. A 2018 survey by specialty recruitment firms Accounting Principals and Ajilon explored workers' attitudes toward leaving or staying at a job and found:
  • Compensation ranked as the most important factor that employees consider when deciding to accept a job offer.
  • 43.2 % of workers would be enticed to leave their company if another one offered a better salary or other pay.
  • More than a quarter of employees (25.7 %) are actively seeking a new job opportunities and over half (55.5) % are passively open to new job opportunities.
Click here to read more.
Have an HR Need?

HR Advantage helps companies with their human resources needs. If you are seeking HR assistance please fill out our brief survey  here .

We value your feedback.  If we've helped your company with an HR problem or issue, leave us a review.
HR TIPS OF THE WEEK
Every Wednesday on HRA Social Media
 
Follow us on social media for weekly HR tips and other important HR updates! Click the icons above to visit our pages.
Career Opportunities
     


We are super excited to share an upcoming service that will be provided by HR Advantage beginning in January 2019! We have been keeping a pulse on the area job market and in visiting with many employers empathize with the candidate shortage and time involved in selecting and placing qualified candidates. 

In response, we have created a One Stop Shop where employers may visit our website and search for ACTIVE CANDIDATES who have been thoroughly screened and processed to meet an employer's high standards. 


Additionally, candidates may contact HR Advantage to inquire about being featured  so that their credentials maybe reviewed while protecting their anonymity. This service will remain complimentary to candidates. 

For a short time we will be offering this service to employers at a discounted rate in celebration of entering our 14th year of service!  

Contact Karla Callaway, Recruitment Coordinator today to learn more. 

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Benefits & Compensation Analysis


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Employee  Policy Manuals 

  _______________________

Meet Our Advisors

 
Candida Arvizu 
MS, SPHR,  SHRM-CP  
HR Advisor
877.894.0202 ext. 1

 
Karla Callaway, BS
HR Recruiter 
877.894.0202 ext. 2

  Grace Childs    
  Admin. Services

 
Camille Knowles
PHR, SHRM-CP
HR Advisor
877.894.0202 ext. 3

 
Lynette Weatherford 
MA,  SPHR, SHRM-SCP 
President
Click to send email
887.894.0202 ext. 4