Come for the Job, Stay for the Challenge: Career Fairs in 2022
Samantha Badr
What a time to be alive, HR professionals. Let’s add recruitment to the list of functions that has completely shifted in the last few years. Forget everything you thought you knew – because I guarantee it has changed. This past week I attended a career fair, except I was looking for applicants and not looking for a job (weird, right?). I also had the luxury of attending from my “home office”. Yup, even career fairs have now become virtual, folks. If I had to guess, I would assume at least 80% of the students attending this career fair were not wearing shoes. Nevertheless, it was an experience – and as always, I will share my thoughts.
Every aspect of HR has been altered, so it’s no surprise that recruiting has changed too. Believe it or not, organizations are having a hard time recruiting talent, even with internet job portals at their disposal. Recruiters have tried to look internally to fill vacant job roles, but it’s simply not enough. With the virtual space at our fingertips, it would be a waste to not participate in any virtual career fairs this year. Virtual hiring event platforms are using chat technology and teleconferencing to replicate the interactions job seekers and recruiters once shared. Job applicants can meet with companies individually in a specified time frame, use chat functions to ask questions, and have “face-to-face” meetings with recruiters.
Virtual career fairs are easier to promote and manage. They can effectively capture attendee data and offer some sort of a personalized experience, but with a lot less overhead. The cool thing about this career fair was that organizations were provided a master list of all attendees, their anticipated graduation date, their majors, and their resumes. Job seekers waited in a virtual lobby before being admitted by recruiters into their own personal meeting room. It was almost like speed dating – five minutes to ask questions and have some light banter before going onto the next meeting.
According to a survey conducted by a recruitment marketing agency, Recruitics, 46% of employers are not using virtual hiring events. But why is that? In a few short hours, I was able to meet with 15 future job applicants. That’s 15 more people than I knew yesterday. That’s 15 more job applications. Why are organizations not utilizing these resources? I know recruiters thrive with on-the-ground efforts and conversing with candidates face-to-face, but that’s becoming more obsolete. The new candidate pool is tech-savvy, and it’s time recruiters match their energy
The most common question I received was “do you have any internship programs”? I was shocked at how many students preferred that over the part-time jobs we had open. It got me thinking though, and maybe it makes sense. College students are more likely to join your organization on an internship basis. Almost like a “free trial” – they get to experience company culture for half a semester without fully committing to the job. Additionally, most internships qualify for college credit and university stipends.
Maybe we’re approaching recruiting all wrong. Maybe organizations should start focusing on providing competitive internship opportunities, instead. These students want to be coached, and they want to get their feet wet without fully drowning in a job and schoolwork. The goal is to get more people in the door, right? I guess it’s back to the drawing board..
Performance Reviews: Your Annual Dose of Judgement
Samantha Badr
Happy New Year, everyone! We’ve made it through another year and that’s definitely an accomplishment. Say goodbye to your 2021 PTO – it’s time for a “fresh start”. What better way to kick off the year than by sitting down with your boss and discussing all the things you’ve done right, and maybeeee some of the things you’ve done wrong? But that’s subjective right? Because perfect people don’t make mistakes.
I would’ve LOVED to have a full meeting dedicated to ~ME~ to start this year, but my organization only conducts annual performance reviews for employees with a tenure of 12 months or longer. However, I had the pleasure of creating the form and automating this process for the first time since the company’s inception. That basically makes me the CEO, right?
The organization I work for was used to the traditional method – a paper form and a yearly meeting with your supervisor. Since working from home became the reality, the company shifted to a PDF form over the last two years. Employees answered a series of questions on performance and graded themselves on a scale of 1-5. Supervisors then met with employees and went over the form and goals for the following year.
Luckily for me, the organization decided to finally automate this process by using our HRIS review platform. For the last month or so, performance reviews have become my child. I somehow figured out how to create the self-appraisal form from start to finish. That included the grading scale, the questions, the formatting, the instructions, and every detail in between.
If the organization is already paying for the HRIS system, why not utilize its every function? Working from home has eliminated the possibility of having access to hundreds of paper files. This new format could save hours of filing and lessen the possibility of errors. The HRIS system also allows the company administrator to have access to all employee reviews in one place, as well as run reports with the collected data afterwards.
Shortly after rollout, I received an email from an employee regarding the grading system on performance reviews. One of the questions on the self-appraisal form was about supervisory support. Since the questions were graded, it could technically alter an employee’s overall score if they rated their supervisor with a low score. After that email, it got me thinking about performance reviews in general. Are they even useful? Can they motivate employees, or does it discourage them altogether?
This employee was right. It’s not fair to receive a lower overall score if an employee does not feel supported by their supervisor. Although my intent was to use the scores as data to track employee satisfaction organization wide, I forgot to think about what the employee sees from their end. To an employee, this score holds a lot of value because it determines their yearly bonus. From an HR standpoint, the score is just a number. It’s easy to forget that attached to each score is an employee – a person.
I don’t think it’s super motivating to receive a grade at the end of the year that determines if you did a “good job” or not. I also don’t think it’s motivating to attach that grade to a dollar amount. People should not be graded, and I think maybe the system is outdated. A lot of companies are shifting from the generic performance review method, and I can see why. Maybe it worked back then, but maybe it’s time for something new. Maybe 2022 is the perfect time to start.
I know, I know – another COVID article. But before we get started, let me first apologize for my absence. I know my fans have missed me but it’s hard work being an HR professional! Since the beginning of this journey, my goal was to develop skills in the career field I so carefully chose. As of today, I can finally say that I have done just that – and I owe it all to this blog. Thank you for sticking around as I navigate my career path and share lessons I’ve learned along the way. This is just the beginning, and I plan to share my experiences with you all. Stay tuned….
The last few weeks were COVID-focused at my organization. That came with a lot of tasks that landed on my makeshift home-office desk. The first item on my to-do list was updating job posts company-wide. I had to make sure that the new COVID language was present and easily digestible for potential candidates. Because my organization hires a lot of field staff workers, we had to make sure to disclose that we comply with all state and federal laws. Whether that be weekly COVID tests or vaccine doses, employees must disclose their status to qualify for employment. I also had the pleasure of following up with current employees who have not yet disclosed their vaccination status. However, contrary to popular belief, the EEOC allows companies to ask for vaccine disclosure – and no, it’s not a HIPPA violation.
Employment law attorneys recommend that organizations practice caution when crafting their vaccination policies to ensure they do not ask for too much information. Employers should be careful to not “dig too deep” to avoid the potential of making medical inquiries that go against the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Asking for proof of a COVID-19 vaccination is permissible under the ADA because it is not likely to prompt an employee to provide disability-related information.
Still, organizations should make sure to keep up to date with applicable state laws, which could differ from federal rules and guidelines. If employers require workers to get vaccinated, they will need to consider reasonable accommodations for employees with disability-related or religious objections. However, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has said that employees may still decline to confirm their vaccination status for reasons that are unrelated to a disability. To summarize, employers ARE allowed to ask about vaccination status, but they ARE NOT allowed to ask follow-up questions about why an employee did not receive a vaccination.
Even if employees willingly disclose their vaccination status, it is still considered medical information that must be kept confidential. If employers do require such proof, they should control access to the information and limit its use. The best way to address employee privacy concerns is to communicate that such records will be strictly confidential and will not be used to make employment decisions.
Regardless of differing company-specific regulations, all organizations are similar in that they are trying to navigate these new policies as they emerge. There will be some push-back, and some employees will not be happy with certain rules. It’s crucial to remain firm when communicating new policies. Organizations – my “professional advice” is to always keep the human aspect alive and remind yourself that your employees are genuinely (and rightfully) scared for their safety. It might not be the most comfortable situation, but I promise it’s for the best. If all else fails, use any parent’s favorite line – “you’ll understand when you’re older”.
Good luck and stay safe!
For helpful tips this cold and flu season, please refer to the video below 🙂
Recruitment Strategies: The Interview of Champions
Samantha Badr
Join me on this HR journey as I try to navigate my way through *Recruiting* and all the fun stuff that comes with it. To provide some background – I’m not technically my company’s recruiter, rather an HR professional that wears many hats. Our interview process begins with the recruiter reading through a bazillion resumes. But luckily for me, I showed up just in time to showcase my one true talent – “chitchatting”. This last week was filled with structured panel interviews and I can’t wait to tell you ALL about it.
Interview Types
Before we dive into the good stuff, let’s educate ourselves on interviews in their entirety, because who knew there were so many different techniques? For starters, interviews can be either structured or unstructured. Structured interviews provide the interviewer with the information needed to make a hiring decision. This technique is crucial in defending an organization against allegations of discrimination because all applicants are asked the same questions. In an unstructured interview, applicants can set the stage while many open-ended questions are asked. However, a lack of structure can make it difficult to compare and rank applicants that are not asked the same set of questions.
The most widely used types of interviews are:
The telephone prescreen interview
The direct one-on-one interview
The panel interview
Before being hired in my current HR role, I experienced all the interview types listed above. The recruitment process started with the telephone prescreen interview. The second round included the direct one-on-one interview, and the final round was a panel interview. Now that I’m sitting on the opposite side of the table, I get to witness just how much this process can be designed in different ways.
Approaches
The three most common approaches to interviews are behavioral, competency-based, and situational. These approaches are used to discover how the interviewee performs in specific situations. The logic is based on the fact that past performance can predict future behavior. In a behavioral approach, a candidate’s experience, personal attributes, and job-related skills can be determined by this style of questioning. In a competency-based approach, questions are designed to determine if the applicant possesses certain attributes or skills. The situational approach provides candidates with hypothetical scenarios and focuses on their past experiences, behaviors, knowledge, and abilities.
Some examples of interview questions are:
Behavioral: Give me a specific example of a time you set a goal and how you were able to achieve it.
Competency-based: Tell me about a situation in which your spoken communication skills made a difference in the outcome. What did you learn?
Situational: You have been hired as the HR director in a 300-employee company and are struggling to perform the necessary HR administrative work by yourself. The CFO tells you that you need to be more strategic. How would you handle this situation?
Styles
Now that we’ve discussed interview types and approaches, it’s time to figure out an interview style. Interviews can be either one-on-one or conducted in a group setting. The most common style is the traditional one-on-one interview, where just the interviewer and interviewee are present. As for group interviews, there are two types – a panel group and a candidate group. In a panel group interview, a candidate is interviewed individually by a panel of two or more people. Panel interviews can create a broader picture of the candidate given that there are differing perspectives amongst the interviewers. The less common option, a candidate group interview, is when a candidate is interviewed alongside other job applicants who may be applying for the same position. Each candidate listens to information about the company and position then may be asked to answer questions or participate in group exercises.
Formatting Interview Questions
Most interviews will consist of a combination of open/closed-ended questions and some follow-up questions. Open-ended questions encourage candidates to provide longer answers and expand on their knowledge, strengths, and job experiences. Closed-ended questions can enable the employer to receive direct responses and specific information from the candidate. Follow-up questions are needed if an interviewer does not fully comprehend a response, if answers are vague, or if more specific information is required. Understanding the different styles of questions can help interviewers be creative during the interview design phase.
Some examples of interview questions are:
Open-ended: What are you looking to gain from your next position?
Closed-ended: How many years of experience do you have as a team leader?
Follow-up: Could you please tell me more about . . .?
Something to note: Because interview questions can be pre-determined, it is important to not make any statements that could be misconstrued. It is best to avoid using terms such as “permanent” or “long-term” when describing the job. To minimize the risk of discrimination lawsuits, interviewers must also familiarize themselves with topics that are not permissible as interview questions.
Closing the Interview
The most popular method of closing an interview is to say that the interview is ending and to offer the candidate the opportunity to ask any questions. This enables the candidate to gain clarification on aspects of the position such as hours, salary, and benefits. The interviewer should answer the candidate’s questions as candidly as possible while avoiding compensation discussion if others are present. The interviewer may want to ask if the candidate is interested in the job based on the information provided in the interview, the time frame of the rest of the interviews, and when a decision is likely to be made.
This past week was my first time conducting interviews and I couldn’t wait to learn something new. Candidates started with a pre-screening phone interview, with rounds 2 and 3 being virtual panel interviews. As time progressed, I found that it might be beneficial to play around with different interview styles since some questions could overlap or not provide enough background. Throughout the week I altered introduction styles, interview questions, and scenarios, to observe the outcomes. The key takeaway is that people love me and I’m really good at chatting. With all jokes aside, the one thing that really stood out to me was the interview style. Although my colleagues and I had naturally inviting demeanors, some candidates were more reserved in their speech, which made it harder to judge. However, the best observations were made from the questions that produced personal responses. These last two years have shown the significance of human interaction and how we have lost that through our computer screens. At the end of the day, we are all human beings first, and the more we focus on that, the greater we can be.
‘Tis the season, HR professionals! *Job Descriptions* have made their debut and it’s about time we updated these things. Businesses are beginning to make a comeback and hire new talent, which means job descriptions have made it to the top of the priority list.
Most of the time, job descriptions are updated in conjunction with annual performance reviews or as a part of the recruiting process. However, over the last two years, many employees have found themselves wearing multiple hats to compensate for the loss of staff and/or new workplace procedures. Thus, the importance of updating job descriptions. Employees need a clear guideline of their essential functions so they can be clear on what’s expected of them. While doing so, organizations are given the opportunity to reassess the skills needed to perform in particular positions. Furthermore, job descriptions can play a crucial role in performance reviews, career development, setting salary/pay grade levels, and even recruitment.
Every job description should be based on the results of a thorough job analysis. For my non-HR readers – this is the process of gathering, examining, and interpreting data about a job’s tasks. A job analysis can include interviewing and observing employees to find out what tasks are being performed, having employees fill out questionnaires, and collecting data on jobs from salary surveys. The results should be documented and reviewed by the employee and their supervisor to account for changes such as knowledge, skills, abilities, physical characteristics, environmental factors, and credentials/experience of the position.
Job descriptions include the minimum qualifications and skills needed to perform a job, as well as defining job title and job grade. Other specifics are included such as performance standards, management expectations, scope and limits of authority, hours, job location, and travel requirements. When creating a job description for a new position, HR professionals should work closely with managers to identify what business needs are and why a particular job role is critical to their organization.
It’s important to note that job descriptions and job postings are two different things. A job posting is what an organization uses to sell itself and an open position – while a job description is about compliance and covering the essential functions, qualifications, and physical requirements of the job. Job descriptions should always include the outcomes the position is responsible for, why the outcomes are important, and what the organization’s values are. A common mistake an HR professional can make is writing job descriptions that are too wordy and overly complicated. Instead, they should focus on simplicity and include the minimum requirements needed to achieve desired outcomes. Oh, and by the way, please stop listing unnecessary degree requirements or excessive years of experience. Give employees a chance! More likely than not – they are just as determined to achieve success as the applicants who check off the “right boxes”.
Although job descriptions aren’t considered “fun”, they can help strengthen an organization’s emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion in its recruitment strategies. Surveys have shown that job seekers can experience barriers due to a gap in work history, frequent job changes, or minimal work experience. It’s important that employers consider how they can reach all demographics and provide equal access to available opportunities. To eliminate bias in recruiting practices, organizations should focus on levels of experience rather than years of experience, as well as contextual performance, and an applicant’s ability to collaborate/contribute to company culture.
A long list of requirements on a job posting can deter many good candidates from applying for a role because they may feel they cannot meet every qualification. Speaking from experience, it’s really hard searching for jobs. Even with a master’s degree, I spent almost two years applying to countless jobs. After a while, it became very discouraging to see that I met the educational requirements but not the years of experience needed for an HR role. After many interviews, I was finally granted the opportunity to showcase my capabilities and work ethic. So, from me to you – keep trying! If you’re looking for a job, I feel your pain – and if you have a job, I also feel your pain.
Another day, another COVID blog. Although we can start to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, there is still so much work to be done. Sorry folks but looks like we’ll be discussing COVID-19 for a little while longer. This time, *Compensation* is the star of the show – because we all need to get paid right?
It’s no secret that the pandemic has impacted the U.S. economy in more ways than one. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate was a whopping 14.7% by April 2020. Many organizations have been financially impacted – resulting in employees having their salaries cut or being laid off/furloughed. In some cases, businesses had to apply for state aid just to stay afloat.
Businesses with 500 or fewer employees received federal economic recovery funds under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. PPP loans were provided to small businesses for payroll and other costs for up to eight weeks. However, PPP and EIDL loans were limited, and organizations could not use these loans to pay bonuses or any other incentives for employees with annual salaries/wages above $100,000.
Last year, many employers took the “wait-and-see approach” in regard to compensation practices. Based on a survey conducted in May 2020 by consulting firm Mercer – 94% of employers went ahead with planned 2020 pay increases, but only 24% of employers were working on compensation plans for 2021. As organizations begin compensation planning for the rest of the year and into 2022, it’s essential to look beyond pay levels and focus heavily on what their employees value since the pandemic.
It’s a good time to reconsider whether the traditional approach to compensation is still sustainable. Organizations are considering skills-based pay as a way to reward employees with additional pay in exchange for formal certification of skills, knowledge, and/or competencies. Companies like Facebook are planning to offer localized compensation as an incentive for remote employees not living in the same area as their employer.
As employees start heading back to the office, employers are realizing that they may need to offer new types of benefits. Some organizations are renewing their paid sick leave policies so that infected and quarantined employees, as well as those who stay at home to care for sick family members, will receive sick pay. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can be offered to help employees deal with COVID-related stress and mental health issues. Employers are also updating their disability benefits as well as work from home (WFH) policies. Working remotely has presented its challenges but many employees are opting for a schedule with flexibility to manage childcare, doctors’ appointments, etc.
Even if an organization updates their compensation/benefits packages, the economy will keep changing. The best practice is to communicate with employees and prepare them for any changes in the future. Whether it’s a cut in wages or reducing benefits, it’s important to always be honest and up front, because employees are physically and emotionally exhausted. Adjustments to salaries or benefits do not need to be permanent – and as the economy recovers, so will organizations.
I know it’s been daunting, but we’re almost there. Have some hope and stay safe.
You know you’re old when the young kids in the neighborhood running on your lawn begin to bother you. Except this isn’t your lawn, it’s the office – and the young kids on your lawn are actually the new recruits in your organization. Move over everyone, here come’s Generation Z, and they’re not going anywhere. So, what do we do now? Better yet – what are they even saying half the time?
Even as a Millennial, I find myself perplexed at the newest generation. Just like any group entering the workforce, Gen Z comes with a certain style – including new terms/abbreviations, a different work ethic, and a distinctive learning style. HR already knows that one size does not fit all – and it looks like we need to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to attract and retain Gen Z. Before we get started, check out this clip from “The Office”.
Now that we got the jokes out of the way, let’s get down to business. For starters, Generation Z includes anyone born between the years of 1995 to 2012. So the next time you spot a new applicant aged 24 or younger – just know, you’re in for a treat. One thing is for sure – Gen Z makes no apologies for what they expect from their employers and a lot of companies are finding that they might have to shift their practices to suit them.
When it comes to finding a place of employment, Generation Z requires that organizations are socially aware, flexible, have a work/life balance, and provide opportunities for growth. When attracting candidates, companies must make sure to outline their commitment to social responsibility on both equity and environmental issues. It’s critical that recruiters demonstrate what their organization has done on these issues, and not just show a cute little paragraph from the CEO on their company’s website. Flexible work options are also expected these days. Most Gen Z workers prefer to work from home so it’s very likely that potential candidates will ask organizations if they have the option to do so. Since work/life balance is a requirement for Gen Z’ers, it is probable that they will align with companies that provide time off for doctor’s appointments or other such emergencies. Pro-tip for HR recruiters: stress the importance of the role your organization plays in work/life balance and how employee well-being is most important. Companies should make sure to outline career growth opportunities within their organization as well. Since bouncing from company to company is not on their agenda, Generation Z candidates will likely join and stay at a company if there are opportunities for advancement.
Similar to training other generations, Gen Z’s needs for training might look a little different than usual. Generation Z is a diverse generation, and they anticipate the same diverse environment at the organization they work for. Gen Z enjoys feeling part of a team – so different cultures, views, and skillsets from a diverse workforce will only further their productivity. Because of the pandemic, many organizations had to be creative in engaging their staff, and the same goes for this new generation. Companies should make it a point to have weekly/monthly meetings to gain feedback from employees and form connections. Mentorships could be another essential way to mix and match different generations on the same team. New candidates will thrive if they feel supported by a peer or employee with more experience. Oh, and one more thing – Gen Z loves the opportunity to rotate through several jobs during their first few years with a company. This gives them the chance to find what they like the best and the path they want to pursue. If an organization is willing and able, job rotation can attract and retain Gen Z.
As the past two years have demonstrated, it’s getting “real” out there. The world will keep on evolving and we must embrace it. Change is inevitable and it’s okay, guys. Everything will work out. It seems like the tasks never end for HR professionals, but we can’t avoid the storm of Generation Z waiting to turn our offices upside down. Do yourself a favor and brush up on some terms the “youngins” like to use – it might help you in the future.
Three months into 2021 and employees are still feeling the mental and physical effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Are you feeling burnt out? Tired of your “co-workers” at home? Any physical or mental distress? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you are a part of the majority. Back in 2020, employers and employees alike were concerned with the transition from office to home office – now, employees are more concerned with the aftermath of extended periods of isolation and lack of work-life balance.
A survey conducted in May and June of 2020 by the insurance company Chubb, found that 41% of Americans have had new or increased back, neck, or shoulder pain since they started working from home. In another survey conducted in June of 2020 by digital health company Hinge Health, it was found that 45% of workers reported back and joint pain – while 71% claim their pain was new or had worsened. These numbers don’t sound surprising considering that a lot of employees were forced to create office spaces in their homes. Working from bed in pajamas might have seemed fun at first, but employees are finding that they are straining their backs and necks more than ever before. The burden should not be placed on the employees to find new ways to complete their daily work tasks, especially if nobody could predict that this would be the reality for over a year.
How are employers contributing to their employees when the separation of work and home life is blurred? I recently spoke to an essential worker who informed me that at the beginning of COVID-19, employers were providing services to all hospital staff. This included a free meal or spaces set up for 15-minute massages to compensate for the lack of necessary medical supplies. Nowadays, medical personnel receives nothing of the sort – how nice. In another interview with an HR professional working in the office, all she received over the last year was a little basket with some assorted snacks. Come on, employers. We have to do better than this.
With vaccination sites on the rise, employers might start to transition employees into the office again – but what if employees are too scared to return? Unfortunately, employees won’t have a legally defensible excuse for refusing to go back to the office. Employers might have to take disciplinary actions or even terminate employees. It’s essential that employers consider all the reasons an employee might refuse to return to the office before taking any action. Employers should consider if any of their staff has an underlying medical condition that makes them more susceptible to contracting the virus or if the organization is taking all necessary safety precautions to prevent the spread. For some organizations, remote work remains a reasonable accommodation option for certain positions. However, some employees who have a legitimate high-risk condition could be granted a leave of absence if remote work is not an option. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken the position that leave of absence should be the second-to-last resort, with termination as the last resort. If the issues cannot be resolved, the Biden Administration recently said that laid-off individuals who turn down work because of COVID-19 safety concerns can be eligible for unemployment benefits.
For the employees feeling the burn out of working from home (WFH), there are ways to make your home/work life a happy and productive one. Even if your conference call isn’t until the afternoon, wake up early anyway. Being too lax at home can negatively alter your sleep schedule and could lead to burnout if you are working past the regular 9-5 shift. Another way to feel better while WFH, is to get dressed for the day when you wake up. Taking a shower, brushing your hair, or even putting shoes on could positively impact how much work you get done. Even though we love our pajamas and slippers, it’s hard to separate work from home if employees spend their days in their robes and fuzzy socks. It’s also important to designate a workspace. Beds and couches are not ideal places to be productive during the workday – opt for the kitchen table with a nice supportive chair, instead. Lastly, make time for breaks. Make sure you step away from the computer and go get some fresh air or a drink of water. Set a time to “clock-out” and stick to it.
If you’re working at the office, make sure that your organization is up to date on all safety precautions. EEOC policies mandate that employers ensure their employees are wearing their masks and remain socially distanced. Speak out to the HR department or your manager if you feel that your workspace is not safe. If you’re WFH, try and make the best of it. Start some new practices to separate your work and home life as much as possible. Either way, I wish you all the best, and hopefully, life can resume to some form of normalcy in the near future.
“State Your Case” – Raising the Federal Minimum Wage: Part I
Samantha Badr
Another week – another new blog! Since we’re all in the mood for something different, I wanted to introduce a new mini-series I like to call, “State Your Case”. In this series I will research controversial topics and state the case for each side of the argument.
In the beginning of February, President Joe Biden introduced his $1.9 trillion relief package in hopes of helping the economy recover from the pandemic. If approved, part of this package can include raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, as opposed to the $7.25 rate established in July of 2009.
To understand the federal minimum wage is to understand the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA). According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the FSLA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Although the federal minimum wage is set at $7.25, some states can still pay their employees less, with certain exceptions. In Georgia, for example, the current state minimum wage is $5.15. Essentially, if a Georgian business owner has less than $40,000 in sales annually, or five employees or less – they can pay their employees $5.15 hourly. Otherwise, under FSLA, employers must pay a minimum of $7.25.
Currently, states can determine their minimum wage and if they want to pay the federal minimum rate or higher. For reference, I have computed the average minimum wage by states per region, based on Department of Labor statistics. For the Northeast region the average rate is $10.99. In the Southeast, the going average is $7.62, while the Southwest has an average of $9.28. As for the Western region, the average minimum wage rate is $9.80, and for the Midwest, the average is $8.42. With cost of living in mind, what benefits could arise from a $15.00 an hour federal minimum wage across the map?
For starters, increasing the federal minimum wage can increase employee retention and decrease turnover. If employees can cover the cost of living, morale increases – in turn, increasing productivity. It’s common knowledge that employees want to be compensated fairly, so if their wages increase, they are more likely to show up to work. Industries with high turnover rates will benefit the most from the increase in minimum wage.
Another benefit of a federal minimum wage increase is economic growth. An increase in income can lead to consumers spending more money, thus increasing demand and business revenue. The Economic Policy Institute claims that if minimum wage increases from $7.25 to $10.10, it could supply the economy with $22.1 billion and create about 85,000 new jobs.
With more money pumped into our economy, the need for government dependence decreases. According to a Congressional Budget Office report in 2014, increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 could lift 900,000 people out of poverty. If lower income workers earned more money, their eligibility for government benefits, decreases. The government can also reduce their spending on assistance programs by the millions, if the minimum wage increases.
Aside from employer and government benefits, increasing the federal minimum wage can also benefit the employees themselves. If wages increase, workers have more time and money to invest in their education. Working teens are less likely to finish high school or seek higher education if they have to work to help support their families. An increase in their pay can give more students the opportunity to attend college. Further, an educated workforce increases innovation – which is another benefit to employers.
Increasing the federal minimum wage simply won’t happen overnight – but if it’s approved, it could potentially benefit the economy and the general population. Are we for it, or against it? Stay tuned for next week, where potential disadvantages will be discussed. As my jury, it will be up to you to decide after both cases have been presented.
Our New “Normal”: COVID-19 Vaccinations in the Workplace
Samantha Badr
While some can’t get their hands on the COVID-19 vaccine soon enough, others are dreading it. To some it’s a magic potion that will bring us back to pre-COVID times, but to others, it’s poison. Everyone has their reason for wanting or not wanting the vaccine, creating a heated debate in many workplaces.
A new rule implemented Dec.16,2020 by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), however, leaves little room for discussion. The EEOC rule maintains that employers can encourage or even require COVID-19 vaccinations. That said, any new policy must comply with workplace laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
I spoke with a few different people for their opinion and as you may have guessed – workplace, age, and gender all seem to have varying influences on peoples’ views on the COVID-19 vaccine. Perhaps more concerning is that employers themselves – including those in the health care industry – don’t have clear guidelines on how to proceed. Much like the beginning of the pandemic when many questions did not have answers, employers are scrambling to figure out whether or not they should mandate vaccinations moving forward, as the world tries to shift into slowly re-opening businesses again.
The COVID-19 vaccine comes with a laundry list of both pros and cons. For starters, peace of mind. In the healthcare field, where many hospitals were promoting a 95 percent success rate of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, a doctor who got the vaccine might feel better knowing he or she is less likely to catch the virus or bring it home to his or her family after a long shift of managing countless patients. A nurse that I spoke with said many hospitals are encouraging staff members to get vaccinated since they’re working with high-risk patients on a daily basis. She told me that her hospital did not necessarily require the vaccine, but they were encouraged to receive both doses.
A waiter that I spoke to said the restaurant industry appeared to be leaving the decision up to workers. Servers and hostesses are at greater risk of contracting the virus than kitchen workers, since they are the ones dealing with customers. While business owners want to open and make their living, they also need to protect the health and safety of their staff and customers. Requiring vaccinations for their employees would greatly ensure they are, in fact, in good health. Not only that, if restaurants mandated vaccinations for employees, indoor dining could resume sooner. A massive amount of sales come from indoor dining, which was banned in New York as of mid-January. If restaurant workers were vaccinated and indoor dining was given the green light, many businesses crippled by the pandemic could potentially have their livelihoods back.
While some corporate companies have made working from home “the new normal,” many employees are desperate to head back into the office. My friend’s dad, for example, thrived on his daily routine working downtown at the office. That’s the way it was for the better part of three decades. When everything shut down in March 2020, water cooler talk, lunch outings and post-work gym sessions were no longer options. Adjusting to a new schedule all from home and the lack of social interaction caused a severe depression for him. Daily, face-to-face communication in offices boost employee morale and increase productivity across the board. People are simply tired of being confined in their home and I don’t blame them. If offices reopened only for those who were vaccinated, those who wanted to return might have more of an incentive to get the vaccines.
One of the most widely reported cons to the COVID-19 vaccine seems to be the fact that there is still a 5 percent chance that COVID-19 can be contracted. Getting vaccinated doesn’t eliminate the face mask requirement. People would still have to practice social distancing. Everyone would still bear the risk of the virus every day. Not mandating the COVID-19 vaccine could potentially pose a huge liability for employers. As many HR professionals know, employers are required to provide a safe work environment under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). If employees get very sick, they can possibly sue their employer for violating OSHA laws. Another con of the vaccine is that it is extremely new and absolutely no long-term research has been done. Many people are holding off on getting the vaccine because there are still so many unanswered questions about the long-term effects.
In conclusion, there are always advantages and disadvantages to any new policy. COVID-19 is not a situation to take lightly, as proven in the mess that was 2020. I know that everyone can agree that they want life to resume to normal as quickly as possible, but at what cost to the employees and employers? Even if an organization mandates a vaccine, there are always going to be exceptions, such as religious and disability reasons. Employers are still bearing the cost of being creative in ensuring a safe workplace. That could mean moving staff around to places with less human contact or carrying the financial burden of requiring un-vaccinated staff to be consistently tested. On the plus side, the more vaccinations, the more businesses can reopen.
Although it seems most employers are still navigating how to handle the COVID-19 vaccine, making the right choice is crucial because COVID-19 has a way of being non-discriminatory – and that is the worst con of all.
