TriNet Acquires HR Outsourcing Provider John Parry & Alexander (JPA)

SAN LEANDRO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TriNet Group, Inc., a nationwide provider of human resource (HR) outsourcing services for small and medium-sized companies, today announced the next stage of its growth and expansion strategy through the acquisition of the business of John Parry & Alexander (JPA), an HR outsourcing and consulting services company based in Walnut Creek, California. All executives and employees from JPA have become full-time team members of TriNet. Specific terms of the transaction are not being disclosed. via BusinessWire

Administaff Schedules Second Quarter Earnings Release and Teleconference

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Administaff, Inc. (NYSE:ASF), a leading provider of human resources services for small and medium-sized businesses, will release its second quarter earnings prior to the open of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007. A teleconference hosted by Administaff’s management will be held at 10 a.m. EDT to discuss the results and business trends. via Business Wire

Finding or Developing Top Talent?

This morning I was on a conference call with a couple of colleagues when the question was posed, "What really is more important to small business employers; Finding great people or developing the talent they have?"

I think when you take a step back, they are really two different conversation threads. For now, let's start the discussion around, attracting top talent.

Good talent is hard to find and when you find a candidate you are sure would be great for your team, you have to compete with other employers to get the deal done. This means that you may have to spend valuable time on the recruiting process; done right, the time spent will be well worth the effort.

So where do you start? First, just saying "We need to hire a sales person..." really won't cut it...a step further, "We need to hire a sales person that has experience selling the types of widgets we sell". Better, but there's more to it than that. Let me take a quick tangent here (for anyone who knows me this is normal). I have a background in software product management (R&D). The product management team is usually responsible for studying the market, trends, competition, how the product should be used, look and feel, user experience, swot, pricing, packaging, launch etc. The first thing product managers do before getting Development involved and building or enhancing a new product is, WRITE A BUSINESS REQUIREMENT. (Close tangent).

When you want to find great talent, start with YOUR requirements of the candidates. Education, background, experience, are all obvious areas in question, but what about your company's culture? Work environment? Your style. Are you looking for someone to be a "company guy" (not being sexist here, just brief) or "one of the guys" or are you looking for someone to come in and bring new thoughts and ideas to the table (and possibly expand your horizon a bit) to help expand your business.

Writing a Candidate Requirement is key to understanding what you really need and want for your business. Having the Requirement doc will be a great advantage in crafting the job description for your candidates and/or recruiters.

When interviewing, ask questions that will give you a glimpse of how the candidate may approach a problem or opportunity; not just what you can already read on a resume.

At the end of the day you are looking for good people, as Rock Bottom Restaurant Founder and Chairman, Frank Day framed up for a friend of mine years ago,

"We want to hire good people. We can teach good people anything. I can't teach an idiot not to be a moron!"

Good luck in finding the right players for your team!

Dave

Why Outsource HR?

Virgo Capital Acquires Accord Human Resources

Transaction Provides Accord with an Equity Partner Focused on Growth

AUSTIN, Texas & OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Accord Human Resources, a leading provider of outsourced HR management solutions, and Virgo Capital, a private equity firm dedicated to the technology-enabled services market, jointly announced today that Virgo Capital has acquired Accord Human Resources.

via Business Wire

A Father's Day Question: Do Workplaces Need to Be More Father-Friendly?

This was a question that was posed in yesterday's BLR Newsletter (The link is below for you to get access to the full article).

So guys, what's the answer to the question above? Do our workplaces need to be more "Father-Friendly". Whether they are or not the article says we don't really take advantage of the time off programs our companies already have for us.

I am a Father of two teen-age boys (15, and 13). Over the years, I have tried to spend as much time as possible with them; coaching getting involved with school work etc. The BLR article states that the more time we spend with them the better off they'll be. This idea almost seems to be a "no-brainer". In fact, the article goes on to claim that, when asked, 7 out of 10 Fathers say they would take a cut in pay to spend more time with our kids. So why don't we do it?

Learn more about the programs your company offers you and take some time off with the kids-it will be great for all.

Happy Father's Day
Full BLR Article

Exempt or Non-Exempt?

Proper employee classification now, may mean avoiding expense in the future.

There are three main categories of employees that are generally not entitled to overtime: administrative, professional and executive. These categories are typically known as exempt, but there may be some blurring of the lines.

Administrative classification require that those employees have decision-making authority and may be involved with contract negotiations. The professional classification are for those employees with advanced degrees or specific training, but only if they are using those skills while on the job. A lawyer driving a forklift should not be classified as exempt. The executive exemption usually is used for management running the company or a particular business unit. These are all fine lines and mis-classifying employees may cost you.

Department of Labor audits usually come on the heals of an employee complaint. If you have misclassified the employee, you may owe back pay for the entire term of that person's employment. In 2006, the Department of Labor collected over $170 million in back wages. In addition to back pay you most likely will have to pay attorney and consulting fees.

Be careful of docking an employee's pay for coming in late, missing a workday or lost company property. When you dock pay you are linking it to the quality of their work. Exempt employees are "guaranteed" regular pay.

If you have questions about proper employee classification, speak with an attorney or business consultant that deals specifically with employment matters; it may help avoid trouble in the future.

Paychex helps clients get hiring tax credits

(June 7, 2007) — Paychex Inc. introduced Tax Credit Services on Wednesday to help small and medium-sized businesses apply for wage-based tax credits."There is a lack of awareness that these are even available to the smaller and medium-size business owners," said Laura Saxby Lynch, corporate communications director. "And for those who are qualified ..., there's a real tax liability benefit for them."
Wage-based tax credits are incentives for hiring that reduce businesses' state and federal income tax liability. They can be used in the current year or can be held to reduce tax bills in future years.
Paychex customers are screened by the service. They are then contacted and educated about possible benefits.A lot of the program is educational, said Steve Beauchamp, 35, vice president of Paychex product management.
The initial service is free for customers, including the screening and help in obtaining credits. If credits are earned, Paychex will then take 20 percent to 25 percent.
The service has been tested over the last year and has helped hundreds of customers, many who did not know they were eligible, Beauchamp said.The new service determines eligibility for two types of business tax credits: location-based, which benefit businesses that locate and hire people in designated zones; and job creation, which benefit businesses that hire targeted individuals.
Paychex provides human resources services to small- to medium-sized businesses. The Penfield company has about 543,000 clients nationwide. via Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Is It Time to Outsource Your HR?

Need HR help for your small business? Consider hiring a PEO.

When the time comes to start hiring staff, a lot of entrepreneurs fail to give much thought to all the responsibilities that come with being an employer. The average small-business owner isn’t equipped with either the knowledge or the time to comply with the mountain of regulations required by the government. Fortunately, HR outsourcing--hiring a PEO to oversee your HR tasks--is a solution that not only provides help with compliance issues but can also provide assistance that’s tailored to your company’s specific needs. via Entrepreneur

180-Day Discrimination Rule

The Supreme Court overturned an Alabama Federal Court decision awarding a woman $360,000 in damages for her discrimination suit because she didn't issue the complaint within 180 of the "intentional discrimination" beginning. Although Lilly Ledbetter's salary initially matched that of her male colleagues, over time she received smaller raises. And at the time of the suit, Ledbetter was making 40 percent less than the lowest-paid man, even after 20 years of employment with Goodyear Tires. via Entrepreneur

Where Small Business Owners Receive Their HR Education

find it interesting when speaking with small business owners, just how limited their knowledge is when it comes to human resource matters, and interesting where they "pick-up"some of their education.

Last month I was discussing issues related to employer payroll and taxes with a group of small business owners in Phoenix. Each "entrepreneur" admitted ignorance when it came to such issues and mentioned they received much of their "education" from the sales reps that came from the service bureaus or Professional Employer Organization (PEO). While I believe that most of the leading service bureaus and PEOs train their personnel very well (and most reps have worked in at least a couple different companies in the space) their knowledge may be limited and not 100% accurate.

All the individuals in our discussions agreed that payroll and "HR stuff" is not core to their business and to outsource it makes sense (10-45 employees).

I completely agree with outsourcing as much of the HR function as possible and what is viable for your business, but before accepting the appointment with the sales rep, do your homework, educate yourself. Knowledge is power! Speak to your CPA, outside counsel (if versed on employment law) or HR consultant. A little time and money spent now may pay dividends in the future!

Why Small Businesses Use Recruiters

If you're like most small business owners, your typical reaction when one of your key employees quits is, "Oh, #*%$!.” Hiring a qualified replacement can be hard, and doing it quickly often seems impossible. What about when you open a new position at the company? Do you relish the chance to recruit the perfect candidate, or do you regret having to dip back into the employment pool? via All Business

What Is "At-Will" Employment?

I have a small company and am planning on hiring some employees. How can I make sure that I am able to terminate them if they do not work out or I no longer need them?

Make clear to your employees that their relationship is an "at will employment" relationship. That means that either the employer or the employee can terminate the relationship at any time for any reason, or for no reason. (However, various laws may restrict your ability to fire someone for wrongful reasons, such as reasons related to race or sex.)

When you first hire an employee, make sure that he or she signs an offer letter indicating that he understands and agrees to the fact that he is an at will employee. That lessens the risk of a problem later on. If you have an employee handbook, make sure the employee handbook spells out the at will nature of the relationship.