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Michele O'Donnell

Michele O’Donnell joined the team in January 2007 and currently leads MMC’s elite team of HR Consultants. Ms. O’Donnell has been involved in the Human Resources industry for more than 14 years, bringing vast training and management experience to the MMC leadership ranks. Her experience spans the broad scope of labor law, regulatory compliance and HR Best Practices, drawn from her rich experience as Director of HR for several firms throughout her career. She currently works to ensure that MMC’s consultants forge long lasting relationships with our clients, fostered in exceptional service and unsurpassed HR expertise. Ms. O’Donnell earned her baccalaureate degree in Business Administration from Auburn University before receiving her Masters degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University.
Picture of Michele O'Donnell

Michele O'Donnell

Michele O’Donnell joined the team in January 2007 and currently leads MMC’s elite team of HR Consultants. Ms. O’Donnell has been involved in the Human Resources industry for more than 14 years, bringing vast training and management experience to the MMC leadership ranks. Her experience spans the broad scope of labor law, regulatory compliance and HR Best Practices, drawn from her rich experience as Director of HR for several firms throughout her career. She currently works to ensure that MMC’s consultants forge long lasting relationships with our clients, fostered in exceptional service and unsurpassed HR expertise. Ms. O’Donnell earned her baccalaureate degree in Business Administration from Auburn University before receiving her Masters degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University.
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Working Off The Clock: What is Compensable Time?

Working outside of one’s scheduled work time without compensation is generally known as working “off- the-clock”. The United States Department of Labor (DOL) recognizes work off-the-clock as one of the most common violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides information about the type of work for which an employee must be compensated. Under the FLSA, a work day begins when an employee starts their “principal activity,” and ends when they finish their last principal activity of the day. The FLSA definition of a work day may be longer than an employee’s scheduled shift or

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FAQs About California’s Required Paid Sick Leave

California recently enacted AB 1522, called the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, which requires most California employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees effective July 1, 2015. California employers already face complex employment laws, which prove to be a challenge for most small businesses. This new bill will only add to the list of laws California business must be aware of to remain compliant. Below is a list of the most frequently asked questions since the mandate was passed. FAQ: California Paid Sick Leave Q: I only have a few employees, does this apply to my company?

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Trust But Verify In Hiring

During dealings with the Soviet Union, former President Ronald Reagan coined the term, “Trust, but verify.” It is not too difficult to decipher the meaning of this phrase and apply the concept to your company’s human resources best practices. A large part of an organization’s human resources function involves the onboarding of new personnel. Would it be surprising to know that in many cases the determination to hire someone happens within five minutes of meeting them? What happens when a charming applicant gives all the right answers? Besides having a successful interview, one very important part of the recruitment process is background and

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What To Do About Employee Moonlighting

In today’s economic climate, employers are facing the ever-increasing situation of employees taking on additional jobs outside of their full-time employment. Many employers are encountering various issues with moonlighting and are left wondering what they can do to ensure they are getting the best from their employees as the primary employer. This can be a very tricky situation for both employers and employees. Many employers wonder if they can institute a policy that prohibits employees from accepting outside employment altogether. Preventing an employee from obtaining outside employment is typically not legal. Many states have enacted “lawful conduct statutes” that say employers

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Employee Well-being

Employee Well-Being In The Workplace

The concept of “employee well-being” is not a new one, but it has seen a resurgence in interest with the challenges in the world in the last few years, and employee well-being has been making its way to the top of company consciousness. This interest has many companies scrambling to develop a plan. There are many definitions of well-being and employee well-being. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) — Europe’s largest professional institute for people management and development, with over 135,000 members across 120 countries — define it as: “Creating an environment to promote a state of contentment which allows

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Developing A Workplace Diversity Initiative

Merriam-Webster defines diversity as: the condition of having or being composed of differing elements and verity, especially the inclusion of different types of people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization. In the last decade, the face and make-up of the workplace have had significant changes. Many organizations, such as Google, have embraced diversity; at the same time many other organizations have not addressed diversity in their workplaces. Without having a formal diversity initiative, many workplaces may already be more diverse than they realize. Diversity encompasses a plethora of characteristics that make each person a unique individual that

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Exempt Or Non-Exempt Employees: Does It Really Matter?

Proper employee classification can have a significant impact on an organization. The penalties for non-compliance can put a large dent into the growth and long-term stability of your business. On the federal level, penalties can include back wages, fines, interest and liquidated damages. In addition, employers with incorrectly classified workers may also be subject to penalties imposed by the state(s) in which their business operates. The Department of Labor is responsible for the administration of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, record-keeping, and youth employment standards. Shown below are three recent settlements obtained by the

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Hire Expectations: Finding the Right Person for the Right Job

Finding the right employee and retaining a successful team starts with a successful hiring process. How can you avoid common hiring problems and mistakes? First steps Effective hiring is the foundation for a thriving business. Turnover is expensive, so it’s essential to invest the proper amount of time needed to hire the right person. Many employee relations problems result from hiring the wrong person for the job, which can have a negative effect on both the morale and productivity of the entire team. Many times, employers are left wondering what went wrong when a new hire is not what they expected

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Building Trust In The Workplace

Trust in the workplace is more important than ever as it drains productivity and eventually leads to costly turnover Many experts agree that trust is perhaps the most important element of a successful workplace. Companies whose employees trust them tend to have a more engaged workforce and a high efficiency work environment. On the flip side, organizations that have lost employee trust are not as successful. It is not uncommon in times of economic distress for trust to be lost with employers, government and our fellow man. This was seen during the depression of the 1930’s and it is being seen

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Interviewing Best Practices & Problem Solvers

Would it be surprising to know that in many cases the determination to hire someone happens within five minutes of meeting them? What happens when a charming applicant gives all the right answers? Many times, applicants are hired for their charm instead of their job related knowledge, skills, and abilities. This also happens when the applicant’s personality is similar to that of the interviewer. It is not uncommon that a few months after hiring someone they are left wondering what went wrong. The new hire was not what they expected and didn’t have the skills necessary for the position. The foremost

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5 Different Ways To Truly Support Your Workplace

Inner workplace support is an important characteristic that impacts the positive nature of your company culture. Once your workforce is given proper access to support, higher productivity flourishes naturally. Support is something all humans want, need and crave. Support comes in many forms and can be given in words or actions. Workers spend more time at their workplace with their co-workers than anywhere else in a work week, which means the workplace is where many employees look for support on a daily basis. Employers can support workers in many ways, the most direct being financially as they provide the livelihood that

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