Human Resources Briefing

CCR, LLC—HR DEPARTMENT BRIEFING

Clayton Customized Regestae, LLC CCR, LLC—HR Department Briefing Dawn Clayton MGMT 3040-04 Georgia Gwinnett College Fall 2011 11/17/2011

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Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Staffing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Legal & Ethical Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Job Analysis & HR Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Strategies in Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Recruitment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Selection Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Human Resources Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Training & Development Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Orientation & Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Documentation & Continuous Improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Performance Appraisal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Direct Financial Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Indirect Financial Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Safety & Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Working & Home Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Employee & Labor Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Appendix.

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References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Introduction Welcome aboard!

You have successfully attained employment with Clayton Customized Regestae, LLC, henceforth referenced to as CCR. The company dedicated to bringing Quality Assurance to small businesses as a complement to their current and future strategic planning endeavors. Your role as a member of the Human Resources Department will be critical to the success of CCR and its Frontline Quality Associates.

Because the department you are entering is extremely small, you will be called upon to do a variety of tasks each day. It is particularly essential that comprehension of this booklet and any individual training you receive in the future is clearly understood and embraced. If you have questions, at any time, do not hesitate to ask the Human Resources Manager or the Owner of CCR. Our doors are always open and we are ready to assist you as needed.

In the following pages you will have an opportunity to become familiar with CCR’s goals relating to the five sections of Human Relations Management, see page 27. We believe in Samnani’s & Singh’s the “Best Fit Approach” we are taking in each of these sections will enable us to conquer the Stairway to Sustainability (Sroufe, Liebowitz, & Sivasubramaniam, 2010), see pages 24 and 25 for graphic of stairway and key roles of HR (Samnani & Singh, 2011). Sustainability becomes more difficult as each step is mastered. So, as you read through the individual segments that comprise the department you have just joined, please take note of the innovative ideas that you will be assisting CCR with implementing on a daily basis.

Once again, welcome to the CCR team!

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Staffing Legal & Ethical Implications Contained in this section will be a short legal breakdown on the Equal Employment Opportunity [EEO] laws and how they impact CCR. Let us first cover discrimination during hiring, firing, promotion, and compensatory activities. The federal, state, and local authorities have established, through Title VII and other acts, see page 26, the scope of discrimination in the workplace. Basically, it is illegal for any employer with fifteen or more persons to conduct business in a manner that discriminates against employees or applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability (U.S. EEOC, 2009).

While this practice is to be commended, our company goes a step further by voluntarily complying with the additions in the following areas: status as a parent, marital status, activist and political affiliations, and sexual orientation. Personal biased attitudes towards any of these groups and unethical professional conduct, such as inappropriate jokes, during the completion of employment duties by any personnel will not be tolerated. We believe in providing a workplace that holds ethical standards to a higher level than the legislative and judicial precedences currently in place. You will be in a position to train, execute, and enforce these standards to and among the entire staff. Therefore, you’re vital.

Furthermore, EEO guidelines are to be posted in an easily accessible, visible location. Any individual has the right AND the duty to report violations to management and/or the EEOC, as they deem necessary and anonymously if they so choose. An internal investigation will commence, along with any external ones, and it will be the responsibility

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of the Owner and the HR department to co-operate fully during the fact finding mission.

Any corrective actions established as a direct result of these complaint driven audits will be implemented as quickly as possible. Internal reviews will be conducted to verify if the desired outcomes have been achieved.

Under no circumstances will any employee or applicant face reprisals from filing a grievance with CCR and/or the EEOC. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for any qualified applicant or employee to deal with the above mentioned categories, i.e. time off for religious commitments, adjustment to accommodate a disability, etc. While our company does not have to comply with Affirmative Action mandates because we do not have direct government contracts, we intend to continue to hire a diverse workforce made up of qualified, trainable individuals who display a passion for the goals, ideals, and ethics of this company. Should our future contracts include government bodies, Affirmative Action documentation will have to be maintained by the HR Department.

Job Analysis & HR Planning Job analysis and descriptions will be a relatively simple undertaking for the HR Department. The bulk of our personnel are Frontline Quality Associates, who would be following the summary of Quality Control System Managers provided by O*NET, with one slight difference (O*NET OnLine—Summary, 2011). In general our team members will not work at the same site on a daily basis. This creates a need for some flexibility with regards to scheduling, attire, and travel. Employees should dress appropriately for the current assignment [footwear, protective clothing and gear, etc.], but in a professional manner.

Other summaries are available on O*NET along with other pertinent information that will be covered under Compensation (O*Net OnLine—Search, 2011). At least yearly, every job

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description CCR uses will be reevaluated for accuracy against national standards and the best practices for this company. The Owner must approve of any changes made, before issuance and implementation. New positions will be undertaken after HR Planning has determined a genuine need and with the approval of the Owner. Changes in this area will be communicated to all personnel through the appropriate meeting.

Strategies in Planning The job analysis and description tasks lead to the importance of the role of the Human Relations Department within the strategic planning of our company. CCR’s goal is to maintain the highest level of excellence in the field of Quality Assurance. To do this, the HR Department must monitor our forecasted requirements and abilities in a timely manner.

The aim of your department will be to anticipate the needs of our growing customer base and actively seek qualified employees when the demand indicates it , see page 27.

Furthermore, we intend to do everything in our power to prevent a breakdown in our work culture by discouraging lay-offs or other morale breaking activities. It is our intention to create an environment that breaks the two year average retention rate through careful recruitment and selection screenings, diligent training, awesome benefits, and a sterling labor relations platform. Each section will be examined in turn.

Your department will also assist in creating and monitoring objectives set forth in strategic management planning. Documentation on the effectiveness of measured, timespecific challenges will be required during routine management meetings. CCR relishes attaining solutions for our partners’ demanding and unique circumstances, but continuous examination by our team effectiveness must be applied to ensure that the best associates are being utilized at each individual service call. That being said, we will not take any actions

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that directly conflict with our company’s ethical stance. Also, in regards to performing these activities, everyone on our staff is making a concerted effort to be eco-friendly. You will be given instructions on how to access the system allowing you to do your part on this matter.

Recruitment Process During the recruitment process you will need to gather an applicant pool through the following methods. First and foremost, CCR would like to enjoy promoting current employees to new positions with greater responsibilities. Provided it is possible to select a qualified associate, the transition should be attainable with “minimal effort” by all parties.

When this option has been exhausted, the first three outside sources that should be used by HR are the American Society for Quality [known as ASQ], the Georgia Department of Labor, and internships, especially for entry level positions, that are offered through local colleges and universities. Contacting the two specific locations in the country, California State University and Southern Polytechnic State University, which offer specialized Quality Assurance Training, will also be engaged for offering internships. (See page 28.)

While these options may seem limited in respect to the legal considerations we covered previously, they will actually give us the most qualified applicants available, in the shortest amount of time. Under no circumstance will this company rely on outsourcing, contingency employees, or employee leasing as options for filling vacancies. These sources would undercut our overall organizational culture strategy for our business and has the potential to ruin our reputation. For supportive roles such as your own, the focus will be placed on linking up with the appropriate local college placement services and the local Department of Labor Office. Our focus will be solely on fulfilling the position requirements

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requested by the immediate supervisor, and approved by HR Planning and the Owner, without prejudices or biases that can occur during these activities.

The primary methods used will be electronically driven, as state earlier. This includes searches of our employee and applicant data bases, applicable ASQ and educational campus contacts, along with electronic job postings and bidding procedures on and through our website. Security and confidentiality of information will be a mainstay of the HR Department. Should these avenues prove unsuccessful in supplying an acceptable level of qualified applicants to choose from the Owner and members of the HR Department will investigate other options for recruitment.

Selection Process During all phases of the selection process you will be required to complete your activities while remembering the legal considerations mentioned earlier in this document .

There will be additional legal areas covered during this section that will need to be adhered to also. Regardless of the perceived time constraints that you believe are present ; the selection process will not be rushed, see page 28. As stated before, the reasons for these practices are twofold. First, CCR wants to do everything that it can to promote and sustain our company’s reputation in the areas of morale and motivation. Second, this company wants to find the Best Fit from the available qualified applicants. Again, we would prefer to Promote-From-Within [PFW] as frequently as is feasible along with providing internship opportunities for entry level spots (Mondy, 2012).

The selection process will start after the recruiting stage has completed compiling the qualified applicants based on the criteria that was agreed to by the Supervisor and the current job description. The HR Department will complete a second review of the

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experience, education, training, and references as needed, in the attempt to cull out any applications that do not fit the specifics called for. The top contenders will be given a preliminary interview by telephone to verify continued interest in pursuing the next step in the selection process. The individuals that are determined to be qualified and are enthusiastic about joining our team will be invited for an in depth, personal interview with the HR Department and the Supervisor and/or the Owner following both structured and unstructured formats. Behavioral and situational questions will also be drawn on for the inperson interview. These responses can shed light on how a potential associate might operate under similarly unique situations. This party must be able to facilitate a productive outcome regardless of the conflict. For all positions, a personality test will be administered with the goal of defining leadership, teamwork, and personal assertiveness skills (Mondy, 2012).

After all interviews are completed, the involved personnel will gather to confirm the perceived strengths and weakness of each applicant. It is vital that each applicant is discussed to the fullest extend using such techniques as Devil’s Advocacy, the critic, or the Dialectic Method, opposing viewpoints ( K i n i c k i & Kr e it n e r , 2 0 0 9 ) . For positions as Frontline Quality Assurance Associates there will also be a role playing test administered to the all remaining applicants. This is a test that will put the applicant into a situation very similar to what will be found in the field. There is only one wrong answer, and that is to not find any workable solution to the problem presented; the remaining answers will be graded based on the effectiveness of solving all of the issues discovered during the skit .

During the application process, a section will be devoted to obtaining permission to contact all previous employers and personal references given, rules on our drug and alcohol screening policies, along with criminal and civil background checks. Background checks

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will be conducted, by an outside reputable firm, as part of the bond able process that will be completed by ALL of our employees. CCR personnel must be evaluated against the highest standards due to the privacy non-disclosures and confidence levels that we must maintain with and for our clients. Furthermore, all application formats and interview venues will be constructed in a manner that does not constitute a breach of illegal and/or inappropriate questions (Wisconsin Office of Human Resources, 2006). Further training on these techniques will follow shortly; for a comprehensive listing see page 29-30. Remember, our goal is to locate the Best Fit of experience, education, and training for each position in our company.

After all of the interviews, tests, and reviews are completed, the group will rate the selection choices and list the reasons why behind each of the rankings, as previously discussed. An offering will be made to the first choice and a routine physical screenings will be conducted at company expense. Should either of these additional testing procedures fail, it is within CCR’s rights to withdraw the offer of employment and proceed to the next candidate ranked, following the same progression until a suitable outcome is reached . Even though all positions at CCR are At Will Employees and come with no express contracts, we want to create an environment that will discourage high turnover rates, poor morale, and absenteeism. The HR Department will play a key factor in creating this atmosphere.

Human Resources Development Training & Development Process Human Resources Development and the Training and Development Process will probably be one of the largest tasks within your department. This is in part due to CCR’s desire to remain on the cutting edge of the Quality Assurance and ISO standards, while

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shying away from the latest unproven fad. You will be responsible for documenting current levels of training, develop timelines for future needs, and schedule colleagues for instructional updates, see page 31. These endeavors should be scheduled in settings that will allow CCR to take advantage of any group offered discounts with the appropriate educational systems. Support staff will also have their need for training monitored and acted upon in a manner that is economically beneficial to this company.

Team building and sensitivity training will be a keystone to the activities completed on a daily basis in the HR Department. Some of this training will be a “lead by example� approach and the rest will be delivered in a traditional instructor led format through case studies, role playing, business games, and in-basket training; furnished in timely intervals through the calendar year. Throughout these activities, employee feedback and suggestions for future topics should be encouraged and attempted provided they meet the overall goals of CCR (Mondy, 2012).

Orientation & Procedures Also, every employee will have a mentor. This mentor will be designated during the selection process and will be responsible for the day to day training and cultural support during (at least) the first 90 day probationary period of any new employee. New employees will be evaluated within the last 10 days of the trial run, see Performance Appraisal, and retraining will be offered as warranted or the employment relationship can be severed, whichever is more beneficial. Mentoring will continue throughout the first year but the mentee may be reassigned to another mentor that is the Best Fit option for the changing situation. The most important goals for the HR Department in this section is to provide adequate orientation to all new workers and adjust mentoring assignments, as needed. New

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employees should be encouraged to ask questions, enlarge current understanding, and strive for the enrichment of self through new experience opportunities provided by CCR and the local community through volunteering or other activities.

Documentation & Continuous Improvement Associates will have an opportunity to offer feedback about the effectiveness of scheduled training immediately after its conclusion and again during the Performance Appraisal Process. Evaluation of the Training and Development programs will be integrated into the Performance Appraisals because the newest applications in training should be utilized during service calls and will provide evidentiary proof of the learning gained through scheduled training. If it is possible to isolate the monetary effects of the training received, a Return-on-Investment will be computed and available for review by all personnel as a fundamental affirmation of the importance of Training and Development.

Performance Appraisal The goals of CCR’s Performance Appraisals are to measure the employee’s successfulness in each area of the individual job description and objectively evaluate the employee’s abilities to meet the desired outcomes and integration with the company’s strategic planning agenda. The individual’s Mentor, Supervisor, HR Department personnel, and/or the Owner should make an ongoing effort to correct deficiencies, encourage excellence, and visibly praise accomplishments throughout daily interaction and weekly meetings, but the formal review and interview will be conducted according to a set schedule, see page 26. Noteworthy events, especially customer feedback, along with specific training activities should be documented in the personnel’s Training &

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Development file as they occur. These will aide all internal parties in answering pertinent areas without succumbing to perceptional biases ( K i n i c k i & Kr e it ne r , 2 0 0 9 ) .

Formal evaluations will be conducted in a 360 Degree environment by personnel familiar with the job description and the actual performance of the individual, including customer responses where applicable. Integrated within this evaluation will be elements of Critical Incidents, Work Standards, and BARS Methods. At no time will any Performance Appraisal contain the following: Essay, Ranking, and Forced Distribution Methods (Mondy, 2012). The employee will have an opportunity to complete a self-evaluation, utilizing the same documentation as the rest of the staff. All feedback will be combined into one document giving the high, low, and average results for each section; short comments on areas of improvement and praise for accomplishments should be completed for all sections.

Attendance to timely completion of work will have a heavy impact on the overall scoring.

During this interview, the Supervisor and/or Owner will review each section privately with the individual and should respond to any questions that the employee may have about the results in a clear, calm dignified manner. The HR Department may assist in the facilitation of these meetings to ensure that communication understanding has been achieved by all parties. Training and Development needs and desires will also be addressed during the formal interview process. Agreed to goals which require additional training will be fitted into the schedule and provided for as soon as practicable by CCR or the employee.

When the interview is finished, all parties present will sign the document as an acknowledgement that the review has taken place—even if the employee does not agree with the findings. The associate will be furnished with a hard copy of the completed report, while any original paperwork will be securely filed in the permanent, confidential personnel

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record. [One of the few exceptions to the eco-friendly stance CCR adheres to.]

Compensation and Employee Relations, while playing a factor in Performance Appraisals, will be discussed in the appropriate sections. An exit review will be completed by the Supervisor and/or Owner recapping the employment history with CCR and documenting the rehire status. Whenever feasible, the exiting employee will be involved with creating this document and will receive a hard copy of these findings. The original will be placed in the employee’s personnel file for future reference.

The Performance Appraisal Process will be reviewed at the same time as the job descriptions to insure accuracy of the documents being used. Furthermore, evaluations that display an adequate or excellent overall scoring will follow the previously mentioned timetable listed in the Appendix. Should the scoring be deemed inadequate or failing to thrive, the employee will be placed under probationary review—in other words; they will be working for us as if the review day was the first day of employment. Improvement must be made in critical areas within the next 90 days, or severance will occur.

Again, CCR would prefer to never be placed in this situation of terminating the employment relationship because of our superb organizational culture we have fostered. So, it is in all of our best interests to utilize all available training vehicles to ensure this does not happen. Our customers have come to expect excellence from every member of our team and we cannot let this standard slip by continuing to dole out numerous second chances to individuals who are unable to meet the bar. Every member of the staff must be fully aware of CCR’s outlook on this subject and be willing to complete these tasks in a professional manner—every time it is required. Continuous company-wide refresher training for the Performance Appraisal Process will be required by all personnel.

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Compensation Direct Financial Benefits Direct Financial Benefits will be primarily based on the previously mentioned O*NET source, i.e. the labor market rate for each job description. The education, experience, and training the employee brings to the table will also play a major role in determining the base salary. CCR intends to reward team members that excel in their area of expertise and who are willing to expand into new areas by grasping training opportunities.

These have been mentioned previously during Training and Development and Performance Appraisal.

The Owner will be paid in accordance to the standards the rest of the staff will be under, time vested, job description, and yearly evaluations. The pay cycle will be bimonthly on the first and fifteenth of every month, except national holidays when financial institutions are closed—then payroll will be ready the next earliest business day. Because all members of CCR are receiving a salary based pay and are considered exempt employees, overtime will not be applicable according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. DOL— Employment Law Guide, 2009). To make up for this, quarterly bonuses will be dispersed to all employees, based on the following formula.

Step 1: Quarterly Net Profit * 25% = Total Bonus Money Available^ Step 2: Total Individual Quarters * Employee Performance Appraisal = Total Weighted for Each Step 3: Answer Step 1 / Sum of All Answers from Step 2 = Bonus per Share Step 4: Answer Step 3 * Individual Answer in Step 2 = Total Employee Bonus Example: $40,000 * .25 = $10,000; $10,000 / 25 = $400; $400 * (5 * .75) = $1,500 Bonus ^Money available will be held in escrow for dispersal during the next quarter if average bonus is under $100.00 per employee.

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The HR Department will be responsible for computing the weighted vested quarters of all employees and submitting these figures to management, with the quarterly net profit provided by the Owner. Furthermore, vesting and bonuses will begin after initial probationary period has been successfully fulfilled and will be counted from the first full quarter vested. Quarters begin on the first of the following months, January, April, July, and October. Employees leaving during a quarter will not qualify for this benefit. Payments will be distributed no later than the fifteenth of the following months, February, May, August, and November. Further training on these techniques will follow shortly.

Pay raises [or cuts] will be decided on a case by case basis and will primarily revolve around two key tenets, while still monitoring the labor market trends. The first, will be completed yearly in a style similar to the bonus system just covered; vested quarters multiplied with score from Performance Appraisal; the answer is then multiplied by previous year’s inflation rate plus three percent (U.S. DOL—Consumer Price Index, 2011).

The only other restrictions would be if CCR is under a budgetary freeze or the employee had reached the cap in the current pay grade. The second avenue for receiving an increase/decrease is from undertaking new duties, such as a completely new job description or advancement/demotion outside of the current pay grade. While the decrease or demotion is possible, these occurrences should be non-existent if the Mentors, Supervisors, HR Department, and/or the Owner are providing adequate daily support .

Anniversary dates will continue to be the date of initial hire and will trigger the annual reviews of Performance Appraisals and Compensation, regardless of when a position change has occurred. Consideration of advancement [and resulting pay increases] will place a constraint on the outcome of the compensation evaluation, if change occurred in the

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middle of the anniversary cycle. Again, in depth training on the software tracking utilized by the HR Department will be offered shortly.

Indirect Financial Benefits The Indirect Financial Benefits that you will be responsible for assisting with are twofold: Legal and Voluntary. The Legal section includes Social Security, Unemployment Compensation, and Family & Medical Leave—even though it is not required of us because of the size of our staff, it will be available. Fundamental changes to these components through national, state, and local legislation along with insurance industry trends [specifically, Worker’s Comp] need to be brought to the attention of the Owner and the Finance Manager. Any adjustments to our Best Fit will be determined based on the current legal status, fiscal and organizational cultural trends, and CCR’s future outlook.

Voluntary Benefits are very unique and fall into several categories. The first, big issue facing our company right now is health care benefits. While the constitutionality of the current health care law is being debated, CCR intends to continue with supplying complete health coverage for all immediate members of an employee’s family—regardless of the make-up of the family. This includes same sex partners and extended family members.

While this is atypical of industry standards, it is CCR’s belief that providing complete, comprehensive health care coverage has a direct affect on the successfulness of our staff and company. The staff does not have to worry about this and can concentrate on other things.

Each associate will be able to customize the coverage that is the Best Fit for them and the current situations they face, with only a few mandated sections: preventive wellness and counseling assistance—drug and/or alcohol abuse, stress, etc. Deductibles and co-pays will be the responsibility of the employee. Modifications may only be made once a year

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during open enrollment unless a “life changing” event as laid out in the plan has occurred.

COBRA benefits will be available at employee expense if separation occurs. Furthermore, all employees and their families will be able to enjoy access to the exercise facilities of Anytime Fitness. Everyone is encouraged to participate at any one of over 1,700 worldwide centers, providing fitness services throughout the year in a safe and secure 24 hour, 7 days a week environment. This needs to be highlighted by you as a mutually beneficial endeavor.

Secondly, CCR believes that employees should receive pay for time not worked in the following areas: Volunteer Pay, Sick Pay, and Vacation Pay in incremental stages, as displayed in the following chart.

Years of Service 0–1 2–5 6 – 10 11 – 15 16 – 20 21- 25 26 – 30 31 -

Volunteer Pay per Quarter 4 hours 6 hours 8 hours 10 hours 12 hours 14 hours 16 hours Negotiated

Sick Pay per Quarter 4 hours 6 hours 8 hours 10 hours 12 hours 14 hours 16 hours Negotiated

Vacation Pay per Quarter 5 hours 10 hours 15 hours 20 hours 25 hours 30 hours 35 hours Negotiated

These sick pay and vacation hours can be rolled over into the following year, but must be used before the end of that year, i.e. first year cannot be held in the third year.

Furthermore, it is possible to donate hours earned to another colleague suffering under a bona fide hardship. Volunteer hours must be completed before the end of the next quarter.

Service must meet the guidelines specified in the pamphlet available to every employee.

Life insurance, disability protection, and retirement plans will be offered though the company’s insurance carrier at a group discounted rate. Each employee is urged to investigate the given plans to determine whether to participate here or find an alternative, outside source.

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Employee Services will include reimbursement of relocation expenses for joining our company, capping at $5,000.00, for new hires moving more than 300 miles. Submission of travel documentation will be required. Educational Assistance is directly tied to the goals set during Training and Development activities and will be completely provided by CCR. Because our firm believes that education is critical to the success of our business, we will extend educational benefits based on weighted vested quarters multiplied by the average local public tuition rate to immediate members of our staff, i.e. capped Georgia Public Scholarships for Dependents. This Employee Services program will have attendance and grade requirements to be fulfilled by the student before action is taken by CCR. At this time, stock options in CCR are not available and retirement accounts (401K plans and the like) are the responsibility of each individual employee.

Safety & Health Working & Home Environments While our office environment has been outfitted to prevent safety and health issues from occurring through cooperation with OSHA safety education and outreach, most of our staff will be entering other working environments to assess that company’s Quality Assurance needs. Because of this the HR Department will need to routinely provide a broad overview of the risks that could occur in any typical workplace, especially, but not limited to manufacturing, construction, and health care areas. These training materials can be accessed through the OSHA website (OSHA—Training, 2011).

All of our Associates will be provided with specialized safety equipment by those customers requiring it. Generally, the biggest concern will revolve around the attire and

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footwear choices made during on-site visits which are the responsibility of our colleagues.

Before an in depth service call will be made a questionnaire will be completed by the upcoming location, and reviewed yearly. The serviced company will provide information on ear and eye protection, special clothing or footwear needs, hard hat, etc. Once these measures have been documented it will be the responsibility of every visiting employee to comply with these regulations. Violations of this policy can result in dismissal from CCR. Likewise, if during the course of the service call, any safety hazards are observed, they must be immediately reported to the supervisory personnel and/or plant manager at that location.

Documentation of each episode will be completed with CCR as a corrective action request before services will resume. We want to support a worry-free workplace experience from safety and health hazards while on location.

It will be part of the HR Departments duties to assist in documenting any incidents— regardless of their location, to comply with OSHA reporting, and to provide monthly updates on safe practices and any violations that incurred. An extensively detailed investigation will be conducted to establish the facts and settle on the root cause(s), offer multiple corrective action suggestions, act on Best Fit options, and review and evaluate for the successfulness of actions taken. The Owner of CCR will also assist in these activities.

Furthermore, all personnel involved in an accident will be subject ed to post-incident drug testing, with results supplied to CCR for further action. Failure to comply will result in immediate suspension and possible termination.

CCR will also comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, even though it is not required. To comply with Section A, Section B(ii), and Section C, all perspective employee will received a written statement detailing the rule, definitions of each term, and

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the penalties involved for violation(s) in these areas and that CCR is a Drug and AlcoholFree Workplace during an offering of employment. They must sign an acceptance and acknowledgement statement on these issues. The penalty for infractions can be both legal and personal. Management will notify the local law authority of the infraction findings, as warranted, and the personnel involved in the incident will be terminated. These are the general intentions of CCR, but further information and tools to build and maintain this program can be found in the Drug Free Workplace website (Division of Workplace Programs—Drug Free Workplace Kit, 2011).

The rest of Section B will be covered during routine OSHA training and will highlight the dangers to the user as well as the danger to others in the workplace. It will also envelop the available counseling, rehabilitation, and assistance programs through the company funded health care. Colleagues will not be terminated for seeking assistance, but depending on the severity of the situation, limitations may be placed on assigned duties until the crises have been resolved. This includes the ability to operate company vehicles in the course of completing CCR activities. The employee MUST cooperate with CCR in verifying current status during treatment. Also, CCR will conduct random, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol screenings at our expense. The findings will be returned to the company for documentation in the employee’s permanent personnel file.

Workplace and domestic violence will not be tolerated at CCR. Anyone contributing to the “physical assault, threatening behavior, verbal abuse, hostility, or harassment” while on duty or the premises will have the appropriate law enforcement authorities contacted immediately (Mondy, 2012). Sensitivity and empowerment training will be the cornerstone in combating these issues for all associates at CCR. All employees are encouraged to report

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minor disagreements that contain an undercurrent of malice to a member of management.

Dedication to Safety and Health in the workplace is mandatory for all employees to enjoy the continued success of this company.

One other factor in the area of Safety and Health is that this company is a completely tobacco-free workplace—no one will partake of any tobacco [or tobacco like] product while on CCR property or conducting CCR business. Every applicant will be notified of this standard when they receive the job posting. The Owner believes that these habits reflect poorly on our company’s first impressions, inflates the costs of CCR provided health care coverage, and create unhealthy risks that are easily avoided. Cessation assistance will be part of the wellness health package for all members of our staff and family to make use of.

Employee & Labor Relations Employee and Labor Relations will be one of the hardest divisions of the HR Department that you will have to assist in. This is because you will be responsible for dealing with this subject matter on a daily basis keeping in mind the morale and organizational culture we are fostering. While it is important for every employee to understand that the management of CCR will always be willing to listen to their concerns, i.e. open door policy, it will be done without infighting and malicious intent while all parties still complete their assigned duties.

A formal grievance policy has been set up to assist the HR Department and the Owner in creating a motivated organization culture. CCR will utilize any means necessary, including immediate termination of an employee that is displaying discipline issues, to uphold the standards that we have set. Generally, a progressive disciplinary policy will be utilized, except in extreme cases, see page 31. Consistency will be the mainstay of CCR’s

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dispensation of the approach and actions taking during these times (Alexander Hamilton Institute, 2008). We are not attempting to eliminate all disagreements in the workplace, because programmed functional conflict will be encouraged as a way to dismantle a problem by looking for an answer from a different viewpoint ( K i n i c k i & Kr e it ne r , 2 0 0 9 ) .

Conclusion Congratulations on completing this booklet. For a second time, let me reiterate that should you have any questions, regardless of how small they are, bring them to the attention of the Human Resources Manager or the Owner of Clayton Customized Regestae, LLC. You are embarking on an association with a company that does not place limitations on the creativity of its team members. We appreciate and approve of continuous improvement ideas from all aspects of our operation. Specific training in each segment of Human Resources will commence immediately. Once again, let me salute you for joining CCR—now, let’s get to work!

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Appendix

(Sroufe, Liebowitz, & Sivasubramaniam, 2010).

24

CCR, LLC—HR DEPARTMENT BRIEFING

(Sroufe, Liebowitz, & Sivasubramaniam, 2010).

25

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26

EEO Laws & Related Topics Name Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, amended 1972 Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, amended 1978 and 1986 (ADEA) Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Title I and V of Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, amended (ADA) Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) Civil Rights Act of 1991 Glass Ceiling Act Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA)

Scope Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin—hire, fire, compensation or assignment, recruitment, testing, benefits, severance areas Protects all workers from sex-based wage discrimination Protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older

Prohibits discrimination for qualified, but disabled workers Prohibits employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities, need to provide reasonable accommodation Prohibits employment discrimination based on genetic information

Monetary damages for cases of intentional employment discrimination In addition to Title VII you cannot adversely affect employee performance, such as marital status and political affiliation, sexual orientation, reprisals for whistleblowing GA Employment Security Law/ Verification of employment eligibility to work in GA or the Immigration Reform & Control United States; and hours, minimum wage, and other Act of 1986 (IRCA) discrimination Pregnancy Discrimination Act of Prohibits discrimination for pregnancy, childbirth, or 1978 related medical conditions Military Service/Jury Duty Performance of state or federal service will not affect position Bankruptcy/Fair Credit Reporting Prohibits discrimination against people who have declared Act/Fair Labor Standards Act bankruptcy, written permission for access Child Labor Under 18, restrictions exist. Insurance will require over 18 (Georgia Department of Labor, 2011) and (State Bar of Georgia, 2011).

Performance Appraisal Schedule Evaluation Probationary (new or movement)* Inadequate or Failing to Thrive Annual (original anniversary date) Exiting

Timetable 80 days from start Repeat of probationary 345 days from start Within 1 week of notice

Review 90 days from start Potential dismissal At year mark Last scheduled day

*Note: Promotion, Lateral Transfer, or Demotions will have the probationary review, but the Anniversary Date will NOT change. This could affect Direct Compensation as stated previously.

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Human Resource Process Planning External Environment Internal Environment Strategic Planning

Human Resource Planning

Forecasting Human Resources Requirements

Comparing Requirements and Availability

Demand = Supply

Surplus of Workers

No Action

Restricted Hiring Early Retirement Last resort: Layoffs/Downsizing

Forecasting Human Resources Availability Shortage of Workers

Recruitment & Selection

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Recruitment Process External Environment Internal Environment Human Resource Planning Alternatives to Recruitment Internal Sources

External Sources

Internal Methods

External Methods Recruited Individuals

Selection Process External Environment Internal Environment

(Mondy, 2012).

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APPROPRIATE AND INAPPROPRIATE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Subject AGE

ADDRESS

Appropriate Questions about age are only permitted if it is necessary to ensure that a person is legally old enough to do the job.

What is your address?

CITIZENSHIP

May ask about legal authorization to work in the specific position if all applicants are asked.

CREDIT RATING OR GARNISHMENTS

Only if the job requires significant financial responsibility or access to cash or funds. In most cases, no question is acceptable.

DISABILITY

Are you able to perform the essential functions of this job—with or without accommodations? Questions about knowledge and skills necessary to perform the job requirements.

Inquiries about degrees or equivalent experience that are related to the job being applied for.

Whether an applicant can meet work schedules or job requirements. Should be asked of both sexes.

Type of education and experience in service as it relates to a particular job.

May ask current legal name. “Is additional information, such as a different name or nickname necessary in order to check job references?”

May ask all applicants if legally authorized to work in this specific position.

Inquiries about professional organizations related to the position.

EDUCATION

FAMILY/MARITAL STATUS MILITARY NAME

NATIONAL ORIGIN

ORGANIZATIONS

RACE OR COLOR

None.

RELIGION

Describe the work schedule and ask whether applicant can work that schedule. Also suggest that accommodations to schedule are possible. Must be asked of all candidates.

None.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Inappropriate Questions about age, dates of attending school, dates of military service, request for birth certificate Examples: Do you own or rent your home?

How long have you lived at your current address?

Examples: Are you a US citizen?

Where were you born?

Where were your parents born?

Are you an American?

What kind of name is that?

Questions about credit ratings since they have little or no relation to job performance. It is a civil rights violation to refuse to hire someone based on poor credit rating.

Example: Do you have a disability? What is the nature of severity of your disability?

Questions about education that are not related to job being applied for.

Any inquiry about marital status, children, pregnancy or child care plans.

Type of discharge or registration status.

Questions about national origin, ancestry, or prior marital status.

Whether applicant is legally eligible to work in the U.S.A. Inquiries about organizations that might indicate race, sex, religion or national origin.

Comments about complexion, color, height, or weight.

Inquiries on religious preferences, affiliations, or denominations.

Examples: Are you gay? Why do you wear an earring (or something stereotypical to a group)?

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APPROPRIATE AND INAPPROPRIATE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS, Continued Subject HEALTH

Appropriate None.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Applicant’s previous employment experience.

ARREST RECORD*

(Wisconsin law) permits questions only on pending charges if they are substantially related to the particular job.

Note: consult Legal Services before disqualifying an applicant on the record.

May ask about record of convictions of felony or misdemeanor offenses if all applicants are asked. Note: Only convictions that are substantially related to the particular job (consult Legal Services).

CONVICTIONS*

Inappropriate Example: How is your (or your family’s) health?

Inquiries of protected group members on generalizations or stereotypes of the group.

Questions about sick leave use or worker’s compensation claims in previous job.

Questions about pending charges for jobs other than those that are substantially related to the particular job. Questions about arrest basis of arrest records.

Questions about convictions that are not substantially related to the job (Wisconsin State Office of Human Resources, 2006).

* Georgia Arrest: Employers may not use arrest records that have been discharged under the First Offenders Law when making an employment decision regarding a prospective employee.

Ga. Code Ann. § 42-8-63. Employers cannot obtain or use sealed records. Ga. Code Ann. §§ 1511-79.2 and 35-3-37. Certain first offender crimes in which the offender has been discharged without court adjudication of guilt are not reportable under Georgia law and a notification of discharge and exoneration is to be placed upon the record by the clerk of court. The discharge is not considered a conviction of a crime and may not be used to disqualify a person in any application for employment.

Exception: Registration requirements with the state sexual offender registry will be followed, if applicable. GA Code §42-8-60 through 42-8-63 Conviction: Employers may not obtain or use convictions of those individuals who have had their convictions expunged under Georgia’s probation of First Offender’s Law. Ga. Code Ann. § 42-8-63. The underlying facts of a criminal action or the employee’s guilty plea may, however, be used as the basis of an employment decision. 1986 Op. Atty Gen. No. U86-25 (Animal Care Technologies, 2009) and (State Bar of Georgia, 2011).

Rules to Remember • Ask only what you need to know, not what you would like to know.

Need to know = affects the day-to-day requirements of the job.

Like to know = does not pertain to the job, usually personal in nature • If you have any questions about the appropriateness of the question, don’t ask it.

• If you ask a question to one applicant, you must ask the question to ALL applicants.

Questions? ASK BEFORE PROCEEDING!

CCR, LLC—HR DEPARTMENT BRIEFING Training & Development Process External Environment Internal Environment Determine Specific Training & Development Needs Establish Specific Training & Development Objectives Select Method & Delivery System Implement Program Evaluate Results

Progressive Disciplinary Approach

(Mondy, 2012).

31

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32 References

Alexander Hamilton Institute. (2008) Progressive Discipline Policy Requires Flexibility Written In. Retrieved from http://www.legalworkplace.com/progressive-discipline-policyrequires-flexibility-written-in-pla.aspx Animal Care Technologies, (2009) Recruit Great People. Retrieved from http://hr.4act.com/documents/State_Laws_and_Their_Impact_on_Use_of_Criminal_Rec ords_for_Emplo.pdf Division of Workplace Programs. (n.d.) Drug Free Workplace Kit. Retrieved from http://www.drugfreeworkplace.gov/WPWorkit/plan.html Georgia Department of Labor. (2011) Employment Laws and Rules. Retrieved from http://www.dol.state.ga.us/em/employment_laws_rules.htm K i n i c k i, A. , & Kr e i t ne r , R . ( 2 0 0 9 ) O r g a n i z a t i o n a l b e h a v i o r , k e y c o n c e p t s , skills & best practices. (4th ed., p. 90, 276-292). Botson: McGrawH ill/Irw in.

Mondy, R. W., & Mondy, J. B. (2012) Human Resources Management. (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall.

O*NET OnLine. (2011) System Report Quality Control Systems Manager and Occupational Search. Retrieved from http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-3051.01 and http://www.onetonline.org Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.) Directorate of Training. Retrieved from http://osha.gov/dte/index.html Samnani, A., & Singh, P. (2011) Stop Chasing Best Practices: Focus on Fit for Your HR Function. People & Strategy, 34(1), 34-36.

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Sroufe, R., Liebowitz, J., & Sivasubramaniam, N. (2010) Are You a Leader or a Laggard? HR's Role in Creating a Sustainability Culture. People & Strategy, 33(1), 34-42.

State Bar of Georgia. (2011) What Georgia Employers Need to Know. Retrieved from http://sos.georgia.gov/firststop/georgia_employers.htm Wisconsin State Office of Human Resources. (2006) Appropriate and Inappropriate Interview Questions. Retrieved from http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/polproced/srchbk/appnd/Appendix_J-Appropriate_Inappropriate_Interview_Questions_Nov_06.pdf U.S. Department Of Labor. (2009) Employment Law Guide. Retrieved from www.dol.gov/compliance/guide/minwage.htm#who U.S. Department Of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011) Consumer Price Index. Retrieved from ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/cpi/cpiai.txt U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2009) Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination Questions And Answers. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html