Hagel and Company Human Resources Blog - California, Idaho, Washington State HR News

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~ Cartoon used with permission

I found this on www.ahajokes.com and thought everyone might enjoy a little humor today.

Changed HR Policies

Casual Fridays:

Week 1 – Memo No. 1

Effective this week, the company is adopting Fridays as Casual Day. Employees are free to dress in the casual attire of their choice.

Week 3 – Memo No. 2

Spandex and leather micro-miniskirts are not appropriate attire for Casual Day. Neither are string ties, rodeo belt buckles or moccasins.

Week 6 – Memo No. 3

Casual Day refers to dress only, not attitude. When planning Friday’s wardrobe, remember image is a key to our success.

Week 8 – Memo No. 4

A seminar on how to dress for Casual Day will be held at 4 p.m. Friday in the cafeteria. A fashion show will follow. Attendance is mandatory.

Week 9 – Memo No. 5

As an outgrowth of Friday’s seminar, a 14-member Casual Day Task Force has been appointed to prepare guidelines for proper casual-day dress.

Week 14 – Memo No. 6

The Casual Day Task Force has now completed a 30-page manual entitled “Relaxing Dress Without Relaxing Company Standards.” A copy has been distributed to every employee. Please review the chapter “You Are What You Wear” and consult the “home casual” versus “business casual” checklist before leaving for work each Friday. If you have doubts about the appropriateness of an item of clothing, contact your CDTF representative before 7 a.m. on Friday.

Week 18 – Memo No. 7

Our Employee Assistant Plan (EAP) has now been expanded to provide support for psychological counseling for employees who may be having difficulty adjusting to Casual Day.

Week 20 – Memo No. 8

Due to budget cuts in the HR Department we are no longer able to effectively support or manage Casual Day. Casual Day will be discontinued, effective immediately.

Have a wonderful day!

Frank Hagel has been elected chair of the 9 member Sage Software Employer Solutions Business Partner Advisory Council for 2009-2010. The ES Group publishes Sage Abra HRMS, including HR, payroll, training management and recruiting software.

Johnny Laurent, Vice President and General Manager of the Employer Solutions Group said, “The council was established to provide a vital communication link between Sage and the Employer Solutions Business Partner channel. It will advise Sage management on matters impacting and of mutual interest and concern to the client community and the Business Partner channel within the North American market. The ES BPAC addresses issues dealing with sales effectiveness, product issues and needs, market conditions and the competitive landscape surrounding the business.”

Congratulations Frank!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides for premium reductions and additional election opportunities for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit. The premium reduction applies to periods of health coverage beginning on or after February 17, 2009 and lasts for up to nine months for those eligible for COBRA during the period beginning September 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 2009 due to an involuntary termination of employment that occurred during that period. The TAA Health Coverage Improvement Act of 2009, enacted as part of ARRA, also made changes with regard to COBRA continuation coverage.

~ Department of Labor and Industries

Sage Knowledge Sync Enterprise Edition

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In January 2010 Oregon employers with 250 or more employees must file their 2009 W-2 forms electronically with the Oregon Department of Revenue. Effective in 2011, for W-2 forms filed for 2010, the threshold will decrease to 50 or more employees. Effective with 2011 W-2 forms filed in 2012, all employers must electronically file Forms W-2. The due date for electronic filing of Forms W-2 is March 31 following the close of the calendar year

This update is based on information taken from an excerpt from the “State-by-State” feature in the March 9 issue of PayState Update (Issue No. 5, Vol. 11).