|
| In This Issue |
| Best Practices for Managing Your Unemployment Claims |
| Important Information Regarding RMI's Washington Insurance Renewal Through Grouphealth |
| Paperless Reports and Paycheck Stubs |
| Safe Driving Tip |
| Maximizing Fuel Efficiency and Preventing Crashes |
| Workplace Safety Tip |
| Return to Work Programs |
|
| RMI's New Employees |
Jennifer Farnworth was recently hired in RMI's Payroll Department. Jennifer has almost completed her Associates Degree and is planning to continue her education at the University of Utah. Prior to RMI, she worked for Intermountain Health Care, processing payroll for their IT department. She has also worked for the State of Utah in the Sign Language Interpreter Program. Jennifer loves to run and has recently started her own catering business. She has two children that keep her busy.
Liz Nicholls has also joined RMI's Payroll Department. Prior to joining RMI, she was an Administrative/HR Assistant for Costa Vida Restaurants and FatCats Bowling and Entertainment Centers. She wore many hats there and is excited to now be focused on one area. She attended Southern Utah University and is currently attending Salt Lake Community College. Liz is training for a marathon and loves dogs, reading, hiking, climbing and river rafting. |
Best Practices for Managing Your Unemployment Claims
With a national unemployment rate of 8.8% in March 2011, unemployment costs continue to remain high in the current economic climate. The current challenge for employers is to find ways to minimize unemployment claim costs. When a former employee files for unemployment, RMI assists you in the unemployment process by responding to the claim, notifying you of claim decisions, and preparing for and participating in unemployment hearings. The following are best practices to help you in managing your claims.
You may not realize that managing unemployment starts before you even offer a job to a new employee. Hiring the right person at the start will eliminate the need for terminating someone who "isn't the right fit" later. These individuals will likely be eligible for unemployment, as not fitting in the position or company is not within the employee's control. First, make sure the individual is qualified for the position. Match their resume up with a clear, well-written job description for the position (for more information on job descriptions, click here). An accurate job description covers all of the duties, as well as the background needed, for the position. During the interview process, have the candidate meet with the team they will be working with and/or top management to get feedback from all of those that will be working with the individual. If a certain degree or license is required for the position, ensure the candidate has that degree or license before starting work. If you hire an individual on the contingency that he or she will obtain the required degree or license later, it opens you up to the possibility that he or she will never follow-through and you may be forced to terminate the employee later. The state unemployment department will question why you hired the individual without the required license in the first place.
Once you hire the individual, make sure that they have a copy of their job description and a clear understanding of what their job duties are. Provide accurate and thorough training to ensure that the employee knows how to do their job. Follow your performance review schedule. If your policy is to conduct a review after your introductory period (for example, 30, 60 or 90 days) and on the employee's anniversary, be sure to stick to this timetable. When giving the performance evaluation, be fair and accurate (for more information on performance reviews, click here). If there are deficiencies in performance, be sure to clearly communicate these to the employee. An employee normally shouldn't receive a glowing performance review one month and then a disciplinary report the following month for poor performance.
Document all counseling conducted with an employee, whether verbal or in writing. Clearly explain the problem, what the expectations are for the employee to correct the problem and what the consequences are for failing to comply. If the employee has violated a company policy, provide them with an additional copy of the policy. If the employee is not meeting performance standards, be specific in where the employee is falling short and how to fix the problem. Simply telling the employee that they have "poor performance" is not going to provide the employee with what they need to work on. If needed, provide additional training for the employee to ensure they have the tools to do the job. Keep a timeline of when you meet with an employee regarding any performance or disciplinary concerns (for more information on employee counseling, click here). Your RMI HR representative can assist you in preparing counseling reports, as well as conducting disciplinary meetings with your employees.
If you do decide the time has come to terminate an employee, make sure there is a final incident or "last straw" event. Simply deciding that the time is right with no "last straw" will likely result in a lost unemployment claim. If you have previously disciplined the employee, the final incident should be related to the prior warnings. For example, if you have previously warned the employee for dress code violations and then you decide to terminate them for arriving late to work, the prior warnings are irrelevant and you haven't given the employee a chance to correct the tardiness problem. Additionally, you should act as soon as possible after the final incident. Some employers make the mistake of waiting until they've found a replacement for the position: in the unemployment department's eyes, the employee's actions could not have been bad enough to warrant termination if you do not act immediately.
If an unemployment claim is lost at the initial level, we have the option to appeal the unemployment department's decision. Likewise, an employee may appeal when they are not granted benefits. An unemployment hearing will be scheduled and you may need to act as a witness. RMI will coordinate a telephone conference with all witnesses and our third party representative to prepare for the hearing. To be a successful witness, be prepared with the following:
- All documentation related to the employee's separation.
- A copy of the hearing file (provided to you prior to the hearing by your RMI HR Representative). Mark the relevant pages so you can refer to them directly in your testimony.
- Have a clear timeline of the sequence of events. If needed, create an easy-reference list of important dates.
- Speak clearly and concisely when responding to a question. If unsure of an answer, say so instead of grasping at straws for an answer.
- Keep testimony factual and keep emotion out.
The credibility of the witnesses can weigh heavily in the Administrative Law Judge's decision, so being prepared and thorough can go a long way towards winning our claim.
Please note that if you receive any correspondence from your state regarding an unemployment claim or your unemployment account, please forward it to RMI's HR Department immediately. Delays in responding to unemployment matters can result in costly unemployment claims that could have otherwise been avoided. If you have any questions regarding unemployment, please contact your RMI HR representative. |
|
| Important Information Regarding RMI's Washington Insurance Renewal Through Grouphealth |
As you may be aware, RMI is busy during the months of April and May, meeting with Washington clients and employees to discuss the June 1st insurance renewal. This year, renewal has been postponed by one month and will not take effect until July 1st, without any cost implications. So that we are consistent with all of our benefit offerings, this change in the renewal date will affect all benefits that renew during our regular open enrollment period. This means the medical, dental and vision will all have a renewal date of July 1st this year. As we collect all insurance premiums one month in advance, all premium changes will take effect in June, instead of May, this year.
Employees wanting to change their coverage elections, add dependents, or enroll for new coverage will need to wait until July 1st to do so. If there are any employees who have already submitted their paperwork to us for a June 1st change, we will notify them individually regarding the change in the effective date.
Although we will be in contact with each client shortly, please help us get the word out to your employees that open enrollment/renewal has been postponed by one month this year. If you have any concerns or questions regarding this change to our annual Washington open enrollment date, please contact the Benefits Department at (888) 764-0200. |
| Paperless Reports and Paycheck Stubs |
| The RMI Payroll Department would like to thank you for supporting us in our continuing efforts to "go green." Last year, we moved the majority of our employees to electronic check stubs, which has proven to be a huge success. In March, we started contacting clients in hopes of moving as many clients as possible to on-line payroll reports. An overwhelming number of clients have already agreed to download payroll reports on-line and the list is still growing. Your willingness to participate in this program is both exciting and greatly appreciated. If you have not already moved to on-line report viewing and are interested in learning more, please contact your RMI Payroll Manager at (888) 764-0200. |
| Safe Driving Tip |
| Maximizing Fuel Efficiency and Preventing Crashes |
As the price of fuel rises, we all share the national and global challenge of conducting business with greatly increased transportation costs. These costs can have a dramatic impact on the ability to deliver goods and services to customers profitably. In some cases, the efficient use of fuel resources affects the very ability to stay in business.
At the same time, a second aspect of profitable business operation is the ability to operate vehicles while managing the risks of vehicle crashes. These include damage to company vehicles, injury to employees, injury to other drivers, damage to vehicles and other people's property, damaged cargo, and negative impact on reputation or brand.
We can all agree that a driver's decisions and unsafe behaviors every time they are behind the wheel play a significant role in whether or not they are involved in a crash. These same unsafe behaviors, however, can also have an impact on your company's bottom line through increased fuel and maintenance costs. In short, safe driving is fuel-efficient driving.
Each driver is a miles-per-gallon (MPG) decision maker, continuously making fuel-affecting decisions. As the single greatest factor in achieving maximum MPG efficiency, the driver's behind-the-wheel fuel-saving skills can have a parallel, positive effect on crash avoidance. Here are some helpful tips for drivers to help increase fuel efficiency while preventing crashes:
- Avoid rapid acceleration or jackrabbit starts.
- Avoid hard-braking events. Increase your following distance using the "timed interval rule" and stay alert.
- Expand your look-ahead capacity to minimize unnecessary, fuel-consuming acceleration and deceleration.
- Select the most efficient route to your destination.
- Use cruise control when it is safe to do so.
- Maintain an efficient speed; driving fast does not necessarily mean higher productivity.
- Follow your vehicle or engine manufacturer's recommendations. Most truck and engine manufacturers have DVDs or CDs for driver training on topics such as idle time, shifting, and speed control.
- Ensure that tires are inflated to the manufacturer's specifications.
Fleet managers, safety directors, dispatchers, operations managers, and others within an organization who have fleet management responsibilities can take additional steps to help ensure that drivers make the right fuel-affecting decisions. Here are some ideas:
- Coach drivers in important fuel-saving driving techniques such as expanding their "look-ahead capacity" regarding where they will be in the next eight to twelve seconds and maintaining a proper following distance.
- Use in-vehicle technology or a truck's engine control module (ECM) to download important data such as the number of hard-braking events, idle time, speed, fuel consumption, over-RPM percentage, etc. Compare each driver's performance to the fleet benchmarks or company goals and provide direct feedback and coaching to improve the results of lower-performing drivers.
- Track maintenance costs, especially the replacement of brakes and clutches.
- Set engine speeds in a legal range that provides the best payback from a time-to-fuel-use standpoint.
- Establish routes for drivers and then monitor compliance and off-route miles using GPS and satellite units with geo-fencing capabilities. Drivers may have speed and fuel efficiency results that fall within normal ranges, but they may also have off-route miles that add to the company's total operating costs.
As your organization strives to maximize efficiency and reduce fleet costs, the suggestions listed may be the basis for further management investigation, discussion, and action that will save fuel and promote safe driving. For more information or to develop your fleet safety program, contact your RMI Human Resource Representative. |
| Workplace Safety Tip |
| Return to Work Programs |
Return to Work programs are an important element in a managed safety process. Research by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety shows the longer an employee is off work, the less likely it is that he or she will return to work. In one study for low-back claims, after one month of disability, there was an estimated 62% likelihood the employee would come back to work at the end of one year. If the employee was still on disability after three months, the chance of returning to work was 44% at the end of one year. According to the National Academy of Social Insurance, worker's compensation programs paid over $57.6 billion in benefits in 2008, representing increases in medical and cash benefits for lost work time, when compared with 2007 data. Temporary total disability payments paid while the worker was recovering during time off the job represented over 60% of the cash benefits paid to workers in this study. This is an important statistic because effective Return to Work programs can have a significant impact on temporary total disability days.
Some good news is that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of occupational injury and illness cases that required days away from work decreased by 11% in 2009. The median number of lost workdays, however, increased from six days in 2000 to eight days in 2009 but was unchanged from 2008. Effective safety and health programs include not only supervisor support for pre-loss prevention, but also assistance with post-loss and disability management. The benefits of a Return to Work program are felt both inside and outside the organization.
Implementing a Return to Work program is beneficial for both employer and employee, as it:
- Reduces medical costs: the injured worker tends to heal faster, which shortens the time medical treatment is required.
- Helps maintain production and quality standards.
- Shows prompt attention, regular follow-up, and sincere concern.
- Increases the employee's self-esteem.
- Provides employees with a sense of job security.
- Shows that your employee's contributions are valued.
Developing a Return to Work program includes the following steps:
- Establish management support, direction, and program leadership.
- Select a Return to Work coordinator familiar with the jobs within the workplace.
- Develop policies and procedures for fair treatment of employees.
- Analyze job tasks and physical demands to identify potential transitional jobs.
Transitional job examples:
- Administrative: data entry work, filing, mail opening and distribution, paper shredding, making photocopies, etc.
- Equipment or product inventory.
- Greeter, receptionist, front desk assistant.
- Housekeeping: sweeping, painting, dusting, etc.
- Packaging, light assembly of product or merchandise.
- Training: watch safety videos, update current programs, etc.
- Identify productive and meaningful return to work options with the primary goal of returning employee to pre-injury position.
- Provide training and create awareness with an open path for communication between workers, managers, and physicians.
For more information on Return to Work programs, contact your RMI Human Resource Representative. |
| To access the online Workplace Safety Training Log click here. |
|
|
|
