Essential HR Support: Addressing Common Issues

In this series, we'll explore the three most frequent challenges HR professionals face when safeguarding their business from audits and legal issues. Understanding these pitfalls will help you avoid them and ensure compliance.

• New to HR or recently assigned to the role.
• Small business owner managing HR responsibilities.
• Office Manager juggling multiple roles including HR.

Regardless of your role, your commitment to HR is crucial. Ignoring these issues can lead to audits or legal troubles that can derail your business. As an HR manager, you're responsible for meticulous record-keeping, employee retention, and preparation for audits by agencies like the IRS, OSHA, and EEOC.

It’s essential to understand the scrutiny HR professionals face. For instance, I recall a case where an employer was questioned in court about the absence of a specific policy in their employee handbook regarding sleeping on the job. The judge ruled that such a policy should have been explicitly stated.

Does your employee handbook clearly support your decisions in legal situations? Are your job descriptions detailed and compliant with ADA and FLSA regulations?

These are the types of issues you need to address to confidently answer, “What made you think you could do it that way?”