Personnel and Human Resources Flashcards
Objectives
- Describe relevant employment and labor regulations for veterinary practice employees
- Review payroll structures and benefits frequently used in practice settings
- Identify successful recruitment and training strategies for veterinary practice employees
- Examine components of employment cycle and measures that can ensure successful human resource managment
First step in employment process
Assessment of practice needs and expectations for new employee
Employment cycle
- Hiring and screening
- Training
- Evaluation and Retention
- Transition/termination
- Manage position expectations
Planning process requires
- Complete job description-hard skills and soft skills
- required/preferred qualifications
- current/complete employee manual
Recruiting, hiring & Screening
- Can separate into tiers of qualifications
- Telephone interview
- Imperative to check references (ask if eligible for rehire)
- Assessment tests
- Remember what you can’t ask about
Tests to assess
- Medical skills
- Math skills
- Spelling
- Behavioral problem solving
Interview questions you can’t ask
- Nationality
- Religion
- Age
- Gender
- Sexual Orientation
- Family status
Possible pre-employment screening
- Drug testing
- Background checks
- Credit check
Verbal offer
Ok if it is followed by a written offer with
- financial aspects of offer
- Basic expectations
- Start date
* Notify candidates not selected also
Training, aka
On-boarding
On-boarding personnel file
- W-4 tax form
- State withholding tax form
- I-9
- medical insurance
- retirement forms
- credentials
- emergency contacts
- application materials
Employee retention and performance evaluation
- Measures to ensure satisfaction
- Don’t tie formal evaluations to financial compensation review
- Document reviews in writing
Measures to ensure satisfaction
- Recognition of extra effort and skill improvements
- Ensure variety in work tasks
- Recognize and manage burnout
- Provide continuing education
Transition out of employment
- At will employment: absence of contracts
- Terminated for cause: should not be allowed to continue working
- Exit interviews: can be helpful
Fair labor standards act
- Wages and record keeping rules, rules for minors
- Exempt versus non-exempt employees
Non-exempt
routine hourly wage earners
Exempt
white collars
Defining exempt employees
Vets and managerial staff
- Weekly salary of no less than $455
- Salary paid regularly regardless of hours/work specifics
- Job duties defined as: executive/administrative/professional
* Must get overtime if earn less than $47,476 EXCEPT VETS
Veterinary technicians are classified as
Non-exempt
- Must pay at least minimum wage
- Must pay 1.5 X for over 40 hours
Independent Contractors
- Is employee is integral to business
- Permanency of relationship
- Amount of workers investment in facilities and equipment
- Nature and degree of control over scheduling
- Worker opportunities for profit or loss
- level of skill required
IRS common law rules
Evidence of/degree control independence
- Behavioral-does company control where/how employee does their job
- Financial-does company control/have right to control how/when paid, reimbursements
- Type of relationship-are there written contracts/benefits
Common law
Determines employee versus independent contractor status
Primary use of independent contractor status for vets
For locums that cover the practice on an irregular schedule
-no compensation should be received beyond contracted pay and no benefits
Immigration regulations
- I-9 verification of legal right to work
- Employee is not responsible for detecting fraudulent documents
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Ensure civil rights
- Prevent worker discrimination
- Document efforts to prevent harassment/descrimination
- EEOC has jurisdiction if greater than or equal to 15 employees
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Proactive training and documentation for safety and compliance
Workers compensation insurance
- Rules vary from state to state
- Compensation for lost wages and medical expenses
- Must usually provide coverage or demonstrate ability to carry risk
Unemployment Insurance
- Funded from employer taxes
- Doesn’t cover employees fired for cause
- Burden on employer to prove employee was fired for just cause or voluntarily left
Employee Health Plans
-Cobra: employee will have access to health care extension coverage if 20 or more employees up to 18 months following termination for certain circumstances
Affordable Care Act
Employees with > 50 employees must provide group health insurance
Required Notice Postings DOL regulation
- Fair Labor Standards Act and min wage
- Equal Opportunity provisions of the law
- Family and Medical Leave Act
- OSHA Job Safety & Health Protection Requirements
- Employee polygraph protection act
- Uniformed services employment and re-employment act
- Right to join/form unions
