HR Shield

Part 1: Warning Signs that Your Employee is a Victim of Domestic Violence

Victims of domestic violence and abuse are everywhere, yet we often inadvertently overlook or excuse our suspicions, especially when the suspected victim denies any such case.  Do you suspect that an employee of your workplace is a victim?

Join us for our two-part HR Shield series as we review the employee warning signs of domestic violence, and an appropriate action plan for employers.

Domestic abuse is not always physical; often it’s psychological, which can make identifying various warning signs much more difficult. As an HR Professional or employer, you have the responsibility of protecting your employees within their workplace.  You may never know what goes on behind closed doors, but if you suspect domestic violence, your best course of action is to ACT.

If one employee is in a dangerous relationship, it could quickly escalate to a much larger problem, for not only your employee, but your entire team.  In extreme situations, an employee’s abusive spouse could eventually show up at the workplace.

Employee Warning Signs:

• The employee seems afraid or anxious around their partner… perhaps you have had a chance to meet their partner at a company outing, or they have stopped by the workplace on occasion.
• Frequent check-ins at the office. Is your employee’s spouse constantly calling the office, or is your employee taking short breaks to “check-in” all of the time?
• The employee has mentioned their spouse’s temper, or jealousy.
• The employee has unexplained injuries.
• Frequent sick days/ or last minute call-ins.
• Suspicious wardrobe choices. For example, long sleeves or turtlenecks in the warmer months.
• A sudden change in confidence.
• Never wanting to participate in or attend employee outings or workplace festivities.
• Exhibiting depression or anxiety.

These are just some telltale signs and symptoms of emotional abuse and domestic violence. If you witness any warning signs of abuse surrounding an employee, take them very seriously. Next week we will be reviewing an employer’s action plan.

For immediate advice, please contact an HR Shield Advisor.

Additional Resources: National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Action Plan for Domestic Abuse Victims in the Workplace

Last week we discussed the common warning signs of domestic abuse victims. If you suspect an employee of being abused, below is a recommended course of action.

DO:

• Express concern and ask if something is wrong
• Listen
• Offer help through contacting your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or a local shelter/counseling center.
• Notify the police if threatening messages are received at the office, or the  employee’s spouse poses a threat to your workplace

DO NOT:

• Wait for the employee to come to you
• Judge
• Pressure the employee for an explanation or answer
• Threaten the employee’s position
• Give advice

If your employee does not want to share information with you, you are still obligated as their employer to minimize risks in the workplace under OSHA.  In some states, employers are allowed to obtain restraining orders against employee’s spouses, to keep them away from the workplace. However, by doing this you could be doing more harm than good for the victim.

We recommend that you immediately contact an HR Advisor or your local domestic violence hotline/help center before taking action on your own.  As an employer, you are not in a position to provide direct help, or offer advice on their specific situation. You should always do the best you can in getting them the help they need, and ensuring that your workplace remains safe for ALL employees, not just the victim.

New E-Verify Laws for January 2013

Calling all business owners in Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee:

New E-Verify laws will go into effect in the upcoming year, some in just 6 weeks on January 1, 2013.

• Georgia: Companies employing more than 10 persons must register for E-Verify by July 1, 2012.
• North Carolina: Companies employing more than 100 persons must be registered for and using the E-Verify system on January 1, 2013.
• Pennsylvania: State contractors and sub-contractors must register for E-Verify beginning January 1, 2013 – but only if the project is greater than $25,000.
• Tennessee: Companies employing more than 5 persons must register and begin using E-Verify by January 1st.

E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from Form I-9 to government records to confirm that a potential employee or current employee is authorized to work in the United States.

Form I-9 has always been mandatory, whereas E-Verify has traditionally been voluntary for most businesses. With recent I-9 law updates, businesses within the abovementioned 4 states will need to collect an employee’s Social Security number and E-Verify all candidates before employing.

As a reminder, with HR Shield, you get instant access to all the information, training, forms and expert advice you need to keep employees safe, stay compliant and protect your bottom line. We’ll help you identify exactly which regulations you need to satisfy and what you need to do to stay compliant across the board including:

• Workers Comp
• Discrimination
• Sexual Harassment
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• I-9 compliance (and now E-Verify!)
• Overtime Exemption (Job Classification)
• Record Keeping Laws
• Unemployment claims
• Privacy
• Family Medical Leave Act
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEO) Reporting

Sign up now online, call (877) 636-9525 or contact us for more information regarding hiring and E-Verify.

Gambling in the Workplace

10 Top Reasons Why First-Time Entrepreneurs Fail

“For entrepreneurs — especially those just starting out — businesses succeed as much as they fail. I’ve seen this time and again as a mentor and entrepreneur. But statistics also suggest that the failure rate for new startups within the first five years is as high as 50 percent.

Of course, real entrepreneurs treat business failure as a milestone on the road to success. They count on learning from their mistakes, and use the experience to move to the next idea. But why not learn from the mistakes of others, without all the pain and suffering?

Here is my list of 10 top startup failure causes — and how to avoid them:

1. No written plan. Don’t believe the myth that a business plan isn’t worth the effort. The discipline of writing down a plan is the best way to make sure you actually understand how to transform your idea into a business.

2. Slim or no revenue model. Even a non-profit has to generate revenue (or donations) to offset operating costs. If your product is free, or you lose money on every sale, it’s hard to make it up in volume. You may have the solution to world hunger, but if your customers have no money, your business won’t last long.

Related: 8 Tips for Finding Foucs and Nixing Distractions

3. Limited business opportunities. Not every good idea can become a blockbuster business. Just because you passionately believe that your product or service is great, and everyone needs it, doesn’t mean that everyone will buy it. There is no substitute for market research, written by domain experts, to supplement your informal poll of friends and family.

4. Can’t execute. When young entrepreneurs come to me with that “million dollar idea,” I have to tell them that an idea alone is really worth nothing. It’s all about the execution. If you’re not comfortable making hard decisions and taking risks, you won’t do well in this role.

5. Too much competition. Having no competitors is a red flag — it may mean there’s no market — but finding ten or more with a simple Google search means your area of interest may be a crowded. Remember, sleeping giants can wake up. So, don’t assume that Microsoft or Procter & Gamble are too big and slow for you to worry about.

Related: How to Craft a Business Plan That’ll Turn Investors’ Heads

6. No intellectual property. If you expect to seek investors, or you expect to have a sustainable competitive advantage against giants in your industry, you need to register for patents, trademarks and copyrights, as well as enlist non-compete and non-disclosure agreements to protect trade secrets. Intellectual property is also often the largest element of early-stage company valuations for professional investors.

7. An inexperienced team. In reality, investors fund people, not ideas. They look for people with real experience in the business domain of the startup, and people with real experience running a startup. If this is your first time around, find a partner who has “been there and done that” to balance your passion and bring experience to the team.

8. Underestimating resource requirements. A major resource is cash funding, but other resources, such as industry contacts and access to marketing channels may be more important for certain products. Having too much cash, not managed wisely, can be just as devastating as too little cash. Don’t quit your day job until new revenue is flowing.

Related: How to Know When It’s Time to Walk Away

9. Not enough marketing. Having a slick word-of-mouth marketing strategy isn’t enough to make your product and brand visible in the relentless onslaught of new media out there today. Even viral marketing costs real money and time. Without effective and innovative marketing across the range of media, you won’t have customers — or a business.

10. Giving in too early. In my experience, the most common cause of startup failure is the entrepreneur just gets tired, gives up and shuts down the company. Despite setbacks, many successful entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Thomas Edison kept slugging away on their vision until they found success.

What was the best tip you’ve learned from others’ mistakes? Let us know in the comments section below.

Read more stories about: Business, Business plans, Failure, Starting a business, Startup basics

This story originally appeared on Young Entrepreneur