Articles by Michele O'Donnell

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]