Eaton Peabody

10 HR New Year's Resolutions for 2006 - Author: Clare Hudson Payne, Esq.

You may have already done these things, but if not, here are 10 suggestions for New Year’s resolutions for Maine Employers.

1. Check to make sure that all required State and federal (if applicable) posters are up. Don't get scammed into buying expensive posters. You can print them yourself using these links: State & Federal Sexual Harassment Posters and Maine Human Rights Commission Posters for the sexual harassment poster and a new (optional) equal rights poster. To make them last, take them to an office supply store and have them laminated.

2. Add “sexual orientation” to your handbook, employment application, and all other places where protected classifications are listed. Sexual orientation became a new protected status under the Maine Human Rights Act as of December 28, 2005 .

3. Get on the FMLA bandwagon sooner! Send that paperwork out (WH-380 and WH-381) ASAP. Remember the FMLA covers absences due to workers’ comp injuries.

4. Send out the annual sexual harassment notice (as a paycheck stuffer or with W-2’s). State law requires this to be done once a year. If you did not do it in 2005, do it today and then calendar it again for this time next year.

5. Make sure “minimum wage” employees are getting the new Maine minimum wage of $6.50 per hour (effective 10/1/05 ) and that the comparable adjustment is made for tipped employees.

6. See to it that the annual performance evaluations (if you do them) are done on time this year.

7. Unless you are a municipal employer, remember that “comp” time does not exist for hourly employees. You and your employees can’t make it exist even though everyone thinks it’s a great idea. As to exempt employees, don’t go the comp time route either. Just don’t do it.

8. Educate yourself about Maine’s new sick leave law (September, 2005) which permits employees to use up to 40 hours of accrued vacation or sick time to care for the employee’s child, spouse or parent.

9. Clear vacation time or Earned Benefit Time/PEP Time off the books. Alternatively, set up a reserve account to pay for this unfunded liability that can create enormous cash flow problems.

10. Help your employees protect their identity by limiting the use of Social Security numbers to forms required by the government such as income tax forms. Don’t ask for it on your employment application or otherwise use it for identification purposes.

Please contact Thom Johnston or Clare Payne at 207-947-0111 for further information.

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