« Resource Center
Articles
There’s never been a better time to be in HR. There’s so much to learn and so many exciting trends to follow. Here you’ll find our best thinking on the HR, finance, compliance and technology topics that will define the future of work.
Maternity Leave Laws by State
Offering new parents leave has been shown to improve employee engagement and retention and helps companies avoid a gender misbalance in the workplace. However, access to leave varies by industry and most workers still don’t have access to paid maternity leave. Whether a new parent is guaranteed time off varies state by state, depending on a company’s size and location. Companies with 50 or more employees must offer FMLA leave, though there are more extensive plans required in many states, some of which also cover smaller companies. What is Maternity Leave? Employees are eligible for maternity leave before and after the birth of a child. Depending on the state it may also be taken after a child is adopted or fostered. Often maternity...
How Manufacturers Can Both Reduce Labor Costs and Add Value for Employees
Your workforce is one of your largest expenses. It’s also your greatest risk. To be competitive, manufacturers need to be agile, responsive, and understand how to maximize their talent. Cutting-edge manufacturers are adding value to their employees by providing a workplace where they can grow and develop. They’re also wisely allocating labor costs to the projects and shifts that will maximize efficiency.Labor costs are the largest item on your balance sheet, so an effective cost-reduction plan should balance resources and cost control. While a reduction in force is typically the go-to action when discussing cost-cutting, it’s often not the best way. Replacing employees can be very costly, and lost institutional knowledge can take years...
Testing Employees for COVID-19
As businesses re-open, preventing an outbreak in the workplace is everybody’s top priority. Employers will want to do everything possible to ensure everyone’s safety and one positive step is to mandate workplace testing for COVID-19. But how will this work in practice? Is It Legal to Test Employees? The good news is, making testing mandatory is legal. In normal times, employers are restricted in how they interact regarding an employee’s health but as the pandemic poses a “direct threat” to workplace safety, different rules apply. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have issued guidance clarifying that it is acceptable to require a negative test as a condition of entering the workplace, provided testing is carried out in a proper...![Termination Letter to Employees [Template]](https://paycor.imgix.net/ample_admin/attachments/files/000/036/356/screen_xs/termination-letter-template.png?ixlib=rails-2.1.4)
Termination Letter to Employees [Template]
When an employee is let go, it’s only natural that you’ll want to tell them the news in person. Just as important, though, is providing written confirmation. Termination letters to employees offer a chance to set down the important details a departing employee needs to know—but getting the tone right can be tricky. It’s all too easy to go into unnecessary detail or, worse, avoid uncomfortable truths. Download Termination Letter Template How to Write a Termination Letter to Employees A termination letter has several functions. Firstly, you’re letting an employee know the reasons why they have been terminated. Often this news can be easier to digest when written down. Secondly, you are giving an employee confirmation of the timings and...![Job Description Template [Downloadable]](https://paycor.imgix.net/ample_admin/attachments/files/000/036/281/screen_xs/creating-job-description.png?ixlib=rails-2.1.4)
Job Description Template [Downloadable]
Writing the perfect job description is a skill—you need to capture what a job’s all about and what it takes to do it well, in just a few paragraphs. It’s important, too. Great job descriptions attract higher quality candidates, but they also help them (and others in your organization) understand a role. Download Job Description Template Why Job Descriptions Matter Spending time creating (and updating) job descriptions is just good practice. Your first step when creating a job description is to ensure you don’t look unprofessional in the eyes of the potential applicant—spelling or grammar errors are a tell-tale sign that a company isn’t all that it seems. However, getting the basics right is just the bare minimum. If you can infuse...
Employee Exit Interview Questions Checklist
The longer an employee’s tenure, the more they learn about how the company really works. This means, strange as it might seem, they’ll never be able to offer more valuable insights than on the day they leave. That’s why it’s good practice to conduct exit interviews—departing employees offer a unique perspective and may well be more candid than during their employment. Employers have a great chance to learn about their own organization—but only if they ask the right questions. Download Exit Interview Questions Why to Conduct an Employee Exit Interview When an employee leaves your company, it can be tempting to get them out the door and move on as quickly as possible. However, every departure is a learning opportunity—no matter the reason...![Performance Improvement Plan Template [Downloadable]](https://paycor.imgix.net/ample_admin/attachments/files/000/036/201/screen_xs/performance-improvement-plan.png?ixlib=rails-2.1.4)
Performance Improvement Plan Template [Downloadable]
When employees are underperforming, great managers don’t give up—they find a way to get them back on track. To help struggling employees, businesses can implement a Performance Improvement Plan that clearly explains where employees are failing and how they can overcome their challenges. Performance Improvement Plan Template What is a Performance Improvement Plan? A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) shouldn’t be complicated. It can be a simple form, completed by a manager and acknowledged by an employee. Your aim is to notify an employee that their performance isn’t meeting required standards—but also to create an official record (which can’t be disputed) of this conversation. Hopefully, the plan works. There’s nothing more satisfying...
California Minimum Wage City-by-City 2020 (with 2021 Changes)
In California, there’s not just one minimum wage—there’s many. Employers in California don’t just have to worry about federal and state minimum wages, they are also subject to numerous local minimum wage ordinances. Cities and counties across the state have legislated their own minimum wages, at higher than statewide (and federal) levels. These local minimum wages typically rise on an annual basis (either in January or July) based on inflation as measured by a local Consumer Price Index (CPI). The state of California and many of its municipalities specify a separate, smaller minimum wage for small businesses with fewer than 26 employees. Local regulations add yet another layer or complexity to California labor law. If you operate in more...
Common Attendance Management Mistakes—and How to Fix Them
Why Attendance Management Matters Showing up is half the battle. You can have the most talented team—but it won’t do you any good if they aren’t actually present. Absenteeism is a big problem: 3% of the entire workforce is absent on any given day, the Department of Labor have estimated. And you can’t ignore tardiness either: 20% of Americans are late for work at least once a week, according to YouGov polling. Lost minutes add up and so does lost productivity, which hurts your bottom line. To understand (and prevent) poor attendance you need to track who is turning up for work, and when. But this isn’t easy—especially when more and more work is happening remotely. Common Time and Attendance Management Mistakes As an HR leader, you’re...
How HR Solutions Help HR Teams Save Time
HR teams have never been more important—or had less time. The buck stops with HR when it comes to keeping employees safe in the workplace and keeping them engaged when remote. The problem is, increased responsibility doesn’t mean that there’s any less admin work to take care of. The challenge is to maximize the amount of time spent on the stuff that really matters. How HR Solutions Drive Efficiencies The reality is, this isn’t a new problem. Paycor research has shown that 70% of HR teams’ time is spent on inefficient admin tasks, some of which are still paper-based. Finding ways to reduce time spent on transactional and operational HR tasks gives the best performing HR teams a competitive advantage. It means extra time each day HR...
How to Process Payroll
The best way to process payroll is to not process payroll. Your HR & Payroll provider should do that for you. The truth is payroll is too time intensive and complicated (especially if your business has locations in more than one state). Payroll compliance can get tricky too if you don’t have an expert keeping track of every new rule and regulation.The good news is, payroll software can help businesses automate much of the process, prevent compliance headaches and ensure you don’t pay employees incorrectly.Whether you are struggling to do it all yourself or have a payroll provide like Paycor take care of most of the work for you, it’s good to know all the steps that go into process payroll. Let’s walk through them.(If you are ever...
PTO Donations Program: Donor Form Template
In times of crisis, businesses—and their employees—naturally find themselves searching for ways to help. One easy way to provide support to those who need it is a PTO (Paid Time Off) Donation Program. Employees can donate the value of the time off they have accrued but not yet used. Depending on how your program is set up, the recipient could be a specific employee, a company-wide pool or an external charity. Download PTO Donor Form Template What is a PTO Donation Program? It’s easy to see why an increasing number of companies are turning to PTO Donation programs. It’s not just that the public health and economic situation have caused suffering throughout the country. What adds to the unique circumstance is that due to the pandemic many...
See Our HCM Platform in Action
Our unified platform modernizes every aspect of people management.
Try DemoTechnology alone is not enough. You need expertise at the core.
Paycor has what might seem at first glance to be an unusual perspective on HCM technology. After nearly 30 years working with leaders of medium and small businesses, we’ve found that while our customers benefit from best-in-class technology, technology alone is not enough. To solve problems and grow, you need technology plus expertise. That’s why we invest so much time in providing you thought leadership in the form of articles, guides, whitepapers, infographics, video, quizzes and more. Our articles in particular feature some of our “hot takes” on topics and trends HR and finance leaders need to know about. We hope you enjoy, and get some practical inspiration, for our thought leadership on all things HR.