As 2014 comes to a close, it’s a good idea to set aside some time to ensure you have reviewed and completed any HR items that need to be finished before year end.
Here’s a checklist of those items. Be sure to add any items relative to your particular business that you don’t see here.
- Order any updated Federal and State Labor Law Posters
- Review your employee handbook to identify any changes needed based on new laws, policies and/or procedures
- Review and update employee addresses in preparation for W-2 distribution
- Review and update job descriptions
- Finalize the HR Budget for 2015
- Finalize focal process for 2015
- Finalize company goals
- Determine dates of company holidays for 2015
- Finalize and announce any new benefits/employee perks for 2015
- Renew any annual memberships and subscriptions
- Schedule annual reviews with employees
- Deal with any lingering employee relations issues
Begin planning how you will meet the requirements of the mandated employer-paid sick leave legislation that goes into effect July 1, 2015. Also, the DOL has published a new poster that must be posted by all CA employers. The DLSE also published the revised Notice to Employee which now lists information required about employee’s paid sick leave. The new law amended Labor Code Section 2810.5 to require the Notice to Employee, a form required for all California nonexempt employees, to include information about the employee’s right to paid sick leave. Even though the requirement for employers to provide paid sick leave does not start until July 1, 2015, the revised Notice to Employee and the poster must be used by employers starting January 1, 2015. Therefore, the old Notice to Employee published by the DLSE will be effective only until the end of 2014.
In addition, think back over the year and reflect on what went well and what didn’t go well from an HR standpoint. Are your employees engaged and productive? If not, do you see any trends that you could work on turning around in 2015? Are there any employees who stand out as particularly high potential? How will you develop and retain them in 2015?
You may also want to consider an HR Audit after the first of the year to ensure that your processes, practices and reporting are effective and compliant.
Giving some thought to these things now, and then putting a plan in place to address them after the first of the year will get 2015 off to a good start!
If you would like to schedule an HR Audit, or need help creating or updating your Employee Handbook, please contact me at Connect to HR, LLC at michelle@connecttohr.com.