Small Business Spoonfuls

Small Business Spoonfuls

Small Business Spoonfuls is your weekly dose of HR news, employment law hot topics, and Q&A for Human Resources professionals and small business owners! Join Mason Merrell and EEOC Certified Investigator Lisa Smith, SPHR, SHRM-SCP for lively and candid discussions. We hold nothing back in this informative and entertaining podcast sponsored by HelpDeskforHR.com

Episodes

February 9, 2024 18 mins

In this episode, we are talking about using the exchange on X between Mark Cuban several other Xers and the EEOC!


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Also, leave a voice comment or write me at support@helpdeskforHR.com and I will be sure your comment or question is addressed in an upcoming episode!


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In this episode, we are talking about using AI (ChatGPT) in your HR department.


Please don't forget to leave a review, like, and subscribe!


Also, leave a voice comment or write me at support@helpdeskforHR.com and I will be sure your comment or question is addressed in an upcoming episode!


Send in your questions using this link and I will answer them on an upcoming show! ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s...

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February 5, 2024 19 mins

In this episode, we are talking about Generational Discrimination and I am referring to this article. https://wccwatch.org/hiring-managers-prefer-older-workers-over-generation-z/


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Also, leave a voice comment or write me at support@helpdeskforHR.com and I will be sure your comment or question is addressed in an upcoming episode!


Access the transcript her...

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Question:

What Should Our Company Do When An Employee Files a Complaint But Wishes To Remain Anonymous?


Answer:

When an employee sends an anonymous complaint, it can be tricky for a company to handle. Let’s take a hypothetical situation: Emma, an HR manager at a medium-sized tech company, receives an anonymous email alleging that a supervisor, Tom, is creating a hostile work environment. The message doesn’t give specifics.

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Today we discuss guidelines for allowing/not allowing service animals into your business. We talk about the questions you can and cannot ask the customer about the animals as well as the difference between service animals and emotional support animals!

Further Reading:

https://helpdeskforhr.com/2023/01/25/ada-am-i-allowed-to-ask-a-customer-if-a-dog-is-a-service-dog/

https://petkeen.com/can-a-snake-be-a-service-animal/

To learn mo...

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This week we discuss a court case that took place where a club was misclassifying their dancers as independent contractors and you better believe they were ordered to pay up! Then we talk about some of the signs of employee vs. independent contractors. Lisa also talks about the 16-week HR study group she's been conducting and how that is going.

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Today we discuss a new Field Assistance Bulletin published February 9, 2023 from the DOL that has guidance about remote workers paid/unpaid breaks along with nursing mothers. Links to everything we talked about below:

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Want to sign-up for HelpDesk for HR? Click here and Use Code: PODCASTSPECIAL for $224 off of the annual membership

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Question:

We had some employees leave our Christmas party and go elsewhere continuing to drink. They ended up at a strip club with one of our female employees getting up and dancing, including taking clothes off.  Is there anything that needs to be done or said to these employees?

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TRANSCRIPT HERE



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Question: I have a female employee who is Wiccan and keeps a Wiccan notebook at her workstation. While she was absent some of her co-workers looked at it and have become uncomfortable with the employee's Wiccan notebook because they say it contains spells and other "witchy" writings. What should I do?!!

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TRANSCRIPT HERE

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Question: Since Covid, we have closed down our offices and work remotely now. We are in the process of hiring for another position - which will also be remote. Can we tell someone they can't have their children at home while working? The job will be answering calls and emails throughout the day. This will be a new experience for us and the other employees do not have kids at home.

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The Alec Baldwin manslaughter case has sparked much conversation in a variety of settings around the world. Keeping in mind that the filming of the movie Rust was done on a “job site” the question we are posing today is “What can HR learn from the facts of this case?”. Join us for an honest and candid discussion about the errors and responsibilities that can get HR, managers, supervisors, and individual employees in legal hot water...

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President Biden has signed a new Executive Order that may spell the end for many non-compete agreements across the U.S. Join us as we discuss this very controversial topic. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/fact-sheet-executive-order-on-promoting-competition-in-the-american-economy/ https://www.npr.org/2021/07/09/1014366577/biden-moves-to-restrict-non-compete-agreements-saying-theyre-bad...
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Today we will discuss early signs in management and other leadership roles that will send you an early alert to the looming issues ahead. Link: https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/3-signs-your-boss-manager-or-coworker-is-a-toxic-leader-and-you-should-quit https://hbr.org/2021/06/the-hazards-of-a-nice-company-culture?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202021-06-28%20HR%20Dive%20%5Bissue:35108%5...
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June 30, 2021 21 mins
Today we will discuss the negative effects of cultivating and "nice" culture at work. How can something so good be so bad? Join us and find out! Link: https://hbr.org/2021/06/the-hazards-of-a-nice-company-culture?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202021-06-28%20HR%20Dive%20%5Bissue:35108%5D&utm_term=HR%20Dive Enjoy! To learn more about our services click the link below. Boss Calls: http...
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Join us today as we talk about an interesting topic that has become more popular over the last year with all the remote working.. Work from Home Dress Codes! Link: https://couponfollow.com/research/work-wardrobe-covid-compared Enjoy! To learn more about our services click the link below. Boss Calls: https://helpdesksuites.com/boss-calls/ HelpDesk for HR: https://helpdeskforhr.com/
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Join Lisa as she discusses the updated guidance from the EEOC regarding vaccinations! Link: https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-issues-updated-covid-19-technical-assistance Enjoy! To learn more about our services click the link below. Boss Calls: https://helpdesksuites.com/boss-calls/ HelpDesk for HR: https://helpdeskforhr.com/
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In today's Episode, Mason and Lisa discuss the frequent member question. Can employers ask if people have been vaccinated? Isn't that a HIPAA violation? How about ADA? Link: https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/faqs?fbclid=IwAR3YatBjROMOucz1yt_Kc0VgWbBcoCbYWkT2ae-IocAkvx8oUqtEbiAqQMI https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html?fbclid=IwAR3DRr8Y_2wEzDYBfaD3aP-qUAzjBk4QzGAWgYOuGu_svKv67PjYGvb...
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Join Lisa and Mason as they discuss the CDC's guidance on how people who are fully vaccinated aren't obliged to wear a mask indoors anymore... How does that affect the workplace? What's OSHA's Standpoint? Listen in to find out! Link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html?fbclid=IwAR1-JIjIP538W_g32Hj-pXDr6fzzEcxxry9kr0QHMpaw7BNfaBJJWFT_Z5Q Enjoy! To learn more about our services click the...
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Today Aaron and Lisa are discussing President Biden's Family and Medical Leave Proposal! Link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/28/fact-sheet-the-american-families-plan/ Enjoy! To learn more about our services click the link below. HelpDesk for HR: https://helpdeskforhr.com/
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Today Aaron and Lisa discuss that on 4/20/2020 OSHA issued additional guidance addressing whether employers need to record adverse vaccine reactions on their 300 Logs. Enjoy! To learn more about our services click the link below. HelpDesk for HR: https://helpdeskforhr.com/
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