Smarthr_llc

01/01/2023

Thankful to all of our clients that made 2022 a success, along with all of the support from friends and family.

SmartHR looks forward to serving your small business human resource needs in 2023!

www.smarthrllc.com

12/25/2022

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

08/23/2022

SmartHR can assist small-mid size employers with benefits! We’d love to provide you with a quote at no cost!

If you are defined as a large employer, please note that the ACA Pay or Play Penalties will Increase for 2023!

Two provisions of the Affordable Care Act apply only to applicable large employers (ALEs): the employer shared responsibility provision and the employer information reporting provision for offers of minimum essential coverage. In addition, self-insured ALEs – that is, employers who sponsor self-insured group health plans – have additional provider information reporting requirements.

Employers must determine their ALE status each calendar year based on the average size of your workforce during the prior year. Employers that had at least 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees, on average last year, are most likely an ALE for the current year.

On Aug. 16, 2022, the IRS updated its frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the employer shared responsibility (pay or play) rules under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to include updated penalty amounts for 2023. For calendar year 2023:
* The adjusted $2,000 penalty amount is $2,880
* The adjusted $3,000 penalty amount is $4,320

12/02/2021

New year, new laws! Legislation is often changing. SmartHR can assist you with your handbook and ongoing compliance monitoring for a flat fee.

07/20/2021

Effective September 1, 2021, Texas will expanded its sexual harassment laws.

An employer will be defined as a person who employs one or more employees or acts directly in the interests of an employer in relation to an employee.

Under existing law, only employers with 15 or more employees are covered by the sexual harassment law. The amendment also means that individual supervisors and employees may be held liable for workplace sexual harassment, in contrast to the existing law, which does not allow for this individual liability.

Additionally, the statute of limitations for sexual harassment claims is also extended from 180 day to 300 days following the date of the alleged sexual harassment.

Are you ready for these changes? SmartHR can assist you with policy updates and relevant training needs.

04/04/2021

02/10/2021

The Department of Labor recently announced the maximum penalty for federal posting violations is going up...
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): $178
• Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law (OSHA): $13,653
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA): $21,663

SmartHR provides complimentary state and federal posters to clients that subscribe to annual compliance services. No need to worry about risk of posting violations!

02/09/2021

OSHA recently issued its new COVID-19 workplace safety guidance, entitled “Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace,” (the “OSHA Guidance”). The recommendations in the OSHA Guidance may be incorporated into mandatory standards in the future, including the emergency temporary standards OSHA must consider issuing by March 15, 2021, pursuant to the January 21, 2021 Executive Order.

The OSHA Guidance applies to non-healthcare workplaces and is supplemented by industry-specific OSHA guidelines for certain industries. The OSHA Guidance does not create any new legal obligations for employers but contains a summary of existing mandatory safety and health standards, along with advisory recommendations to assist employers in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

The OSHA Guidance calls for all employers to implement COVID-19 Prevention Programs in the workplace. These programs should:

assign a workplace coordinator;

identify where and how workers might be exposed to COVID-19 at work;

identify a combination of measures that will limit the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, in line with principles of the hierarchy of controls;

consider protections for workers at higher risk for severe illness through supportive policies and practices;

establish a system for communicating effectively with workers and in a language they understand;

educate and train workers on COVID-19 policies and procedures using accessible formats in a language they understand;

instruct workers who are infected or potentially infected to stay home and isolate or quarantine;

minimize the negative impact of quarantine and isolation on workers (e.g., through telework);

isolate workers who show symptoms at work;

perform enhanced cleaning and disinfection after people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 have been in the facility;

provide guidance on screening and testing;

record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths;

implement protections from retaliation and set up an anonymous process for workers to voice concerns about COVID-19-related hazards;

make a COVID-19 vaccination available at no cost to all eligible employees;

not distinguish between workers who are vaccinated and those who are not; and

comply with all other applicable OSHA standards relating to infection control.

SmartHR can help you avoid COVID liability and costly OSHA fines with the creation of a COVID-19 Prevention Program. Needing enhanced disinfecting services.... SmartHR would highly recommend True Blue Cleaning Solutions for all your disinfecting needs.

01/27/2021

A new administration means changes to complex federal and state employment regulations. Keeping up with the changes is nearly impossible, and even small mistakes can be disruptive and costly. SmartHR can help you with the creation of polices, policy updates, and annual compliance monitoring for a flat fee.

12/21/2020

Did you know your company can be fined for failing to post current state and federal labor laws?

SmartHR clients that subscribe to annual compliance monitoring services receive complimentary state and federal labor law posters. If/when laws are added or updated, posters are updated at no additional charge.

12/18/2020

Do you have an employee handbook?
When was the last time you reviewed your policies?

Each year, employers should review and reevaluate their employee handbooks and policies. This is an important practice as new laws will often go into effect at the start of a new year and frequently change throughout the year. Consistent monitoring is a safe way to ensure employee policies are not out of date. This practice is especially critical now as many employers have changed their employment/organization structure and many states have amended their leave laws.

SmartHR can help with handbook creation, updates, and ongoing compliance monitoring.

12/05/2020

Ways SmartHR Can Help You Prepare FFCRA's December 31 Expiration:
**Administrative Actions to Take to Prepare for the FFCRA's Expiration
**Leave or Accommodation Requests
**Employer-Provided Leave and Flexible Work Arrangements
**Consider the Consequences of Being Unprepared
**Be Aware of Ongoing Obligations

All services are offered on a flat-fee basis.