Weathering the Storm: Is Your Business Prepared?

On August 21st Irene became the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. A few days later, on August 24th, Irene was upgraded to a major hurricane and poses a serious threat to civilization in the Caribbean and the East Coast of the United States. Currently we here at NPD Payroll are preparing for the possibility of Hurricane Irene affecting not only our day-to-day operations, but the businesses of our clients.

As both an individual and a business there are several steps you should take to prepare for potentially dangerous weather. We recommend you visit the following websites for hurricane preparedness:
National Hurricane Center
NOAA Tropical Cyclone Preparedness Guide

NPD is currently taking all precautions to protect customer data, including both in-house and off-site backups. We've alerted our customers via email regarding their options during possible electrical outages, made it known that we plan to operate business-as-usual come Monday, and provided emergency contact phone numbers and emails if it's absolutely necessary to contact NPD over the weekend.

Not only should your business be prepared for meteorological storms, you should also be prepared to weather the storms that affect your bottom line. Surviving in a down economy, keeping up with the latest technology, appeasing disgruntled clients, and managing your financials are all tropical waves that can be upgraded to hurricanes if not monitored. Much like preparing for a hurricane, your business should develop an action plan to deal with these potential situations.

While this may seem like a daunting task, having a plan laid out will help guide you during difficult periods. Owners and employees that know what to do when faced with an emergency should be better able to solve them by planning ahead.

NPD Payroll can help you plan ahead and weather the storms of business. We will work with you to developan action plan, and help you execute that plan if an issue arises. There are real people at NPD Payroll and they are available to work with you and provide personalized solutions to meet your business needs. Whatever the weather, NPD is there for you.



Teamwork: Not Just for Athletics

More than 2,500 years ago the ancient Greeks began developing athletic competitions at Olympia. But around the same time, about 5,300 miles to the east, the Chinese were practicing a ritual that would become a modern sport. On the banks of Dongting Lake and the Yangtze River crews of twenty to fifty would gather to row their Dragon Boats.

The ancient Chinese believed that dragons were the protectors of rivers, lakes, and seas as well as clouds, mists, and rain. To honor these mythical creatures boats would be adorned with decorative dragon heads before the celebration. It was believed that paying tribute to the Dragon Diety would help local farmers have a successful rice crop, as the dragon would provide water so the crops would remain fertile.

Dragon boats were seen as tradition for centuries, until the first competitive race of the modern era occurred in Hong Kong in 1976. Since then, competitive dragon boat racing has spread from the Yangtze to have a global impact. Why did I tell this story? Because NPD Payroll's own Faith Zeller is part of the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce dragon boat team. Check out the video of their final 2011 race below:

To have a successful dragon boat racing team many moving parts must be working in sync. The drummer at the front of the boat sets the beat that the paddlers follow, which moves the boat forward. Not only must the drummer set a consistent tempo, but each paddler must be rowing in the same rhythm for the boat to pick up speed. If even one person on the dragon boat fails to work with the others the race is lost.

Cooperation in the workplace functions in the same way; if one person isn't in sync with the others then the hard work of the team is in vain. A successful employer sets the tempo for their business and will positively motivate their employees to achieve. Employees share an implicit trust, not just between them and the employer, but between each other. Trusting that your fellow employees will consistently perform at the highest level allows the individual employee to focus more on their tasks. By paddling together employees move the business forward.

No one person can paddle a dragon boat alone, and no one person can compete in business without the help of their team. Working together helps prevent your business from sinking, no lucky dragon necessary. I'll leave you today with a quote that served as a rallying cry for the Glastonbury Chamber Paddlers:

"Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success."- Henry Ford

Drug Free Workplace Act

Are you familiar with your drug testing laws? The Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 imposes certain requirements on federal contractors and recipients of federal grants, specifically to take various actions to provide a workplace free of drug use. The Act does not require, but does not prohibit, drug testing as part of such a program.

This applies to all companies receiving federal procurement contracts for more than $25,000.00, to be performed in whole or part in the United States, awarded on or after March 18, 1989, must comply with the Act. The Act does not apply, however, to subcontractors.

Requirements
Essentially, the Act requires federal contractors to certify that they have established a program to promote a drug free workplace by doing the following:

• Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession or use of a controlled substance in the workplace is prohibited, specifying what actions will be taken if this policy is violated and requiring that each employee receive a copy of the same;
• Establishing a drug free awareness program to inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, employer policies regarding the same, available counseling, rehabilitation or employee assistance programs and penalties for drug abuse violations;
• Requiring and notifying employees that, as a condition of their employment, they must abide by drug free workplace policies and must notify the employer of any criminal drug convictions within five days of the same;
• Notifying the federal contracting agency within ten days of any notice of employee drug convictions;
• Disciplining and/or requiring employees convicted of criminal drug offenses to participate in a rehabilitation program;
• Making a good faith effort to maintain a drug free workplace by implementing the program outline above.

Enforcement
Violations of the Act can result in the loss or suspension of specific federal contracts and/or debarment from receiving any federal contracts for up to five years. The Act is enforced by individual governmental contract-awarding agencies.

 

 

Despite being contracted by the government, employers and employees should be made aware of drug laws and the prohibition in the work environment. It is important to stay clean and free of any drugs that are not for medicinal purposes. keeping healthy and safe and just as important as your career.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

Did you know that there is a federal law that establishes a minimum standard for employee health benefits and retirement plans? While an employer is not required to establish a plan, ERISA does require those who establish and administer plans to meet certain standards.

Not all companies offer a benefits plan, but it's important that if they do, to ensure that the benefits of that plan is legitemate. Employers should delegate information regarding the health and retirement plans properly and ahead of time and should follow 5 simple tips to avoid a potential lawsuit, which in a recent case, Cigna v. Amara  was accused of having misleading information on the benefits plan and was sued for the described plan on the summary plan description.

• Summary Plan Descriptions. Draft and distribute SPDs that are brief and easy to read without overt contractual terms or legalese.
• Communications Officer.  Determine the company representative who will have authority over plan administration and communications.
• Regular Reviews. Routinely verify that plan documents are current and that communications are consistent and accurate with the summaries and are compliant with ERISA requirements.
• Transparency in Changes. Employee communications should fully disclose in advance any changes, especially those that may result in adverse circumstances (i.e. a decrease in benefits).
• Non-SPDs.  While an SPD may include both a complete description of the plan's terms (i.e. a Certificate of Coverage) and required ERISA disclosure language, an insurance provider's Master Contract or Certificate of Coverage itself is not considered an SPD. 

More can be read here.

New Perspectives at New Hope Manor

As Sales Manager at NPD, I am constantly visiting potential new clients and organizations that our company can get involved with. While each visit and cosultation is rewarding and educational in a unique way, this morning was particularly inspiring as I was given the opporunity to take the Journey of Hope Tour at New Hope Manor in Manchester, CT. New Hope provides comprehensive and effective treatment to young people and their families with mental health, behavioral, and/or substance abuse problems since 1971. New Hope offers a variety of services ranging from residential treatment to school-based and transitional living programs. Focused on helping their clientele build healthy relationships, their programs are designed to foster personal growth and build self-esteem, while developing the independent skills necessary for success. It was extremely interesting and eye-opening to learn about their programs; however, the most refreshing and inspiring aspect of my time spent at New Hope was the dedication of both the staff and patients to aid young people on their journey into becoming successul assets in society. It is amazing how far individuals will go to make a difference in other people's lives.

The next Journey of Hope tour is August 23rd at 4:30pm. If you can find the time in your schedule to make the visit, I strongly encourage you to go. I am confident once you learn and visit with New Hope, you will genuinely want to get involved. Below I've included the "New Hope Manor Wish List" that they include on the back of the literature you receive on your visit.

New Hope Manor Wish List

1. Ways kids can participate in the community: free or discounted tickets to events, plays, sportings game, concerts, museums, recreational activities for summer fun (mini-golf, go-karts, water parks, Six Flags, etc.)
2. Scrapbook supplies and scrapbooks.
3. Toiletries - soaps, shampoos, body lotions, boys and girls hair products.
4. Boys: boxers (men's S, M, L), t-shirts (men's M, L, XL), socks, sneakers. 
5. Ladies: underwear, socks, bras, sneakers. 
6. Workout and recreational equipment - free weights, weight benches, bags, machines. Including outdoor sports equipment - bikes, helmets, balls, basketball hoops, fishing poles. 
7. Lawn furniture - tables and chairs, picnice tables, gas grills. 
8. Indoor (gently used) furniture - sofas, chairs, love seats, kitchten tables, end and coffee tables, bedroom furniture, pictures, air conditioners. 
9. Appliances - blenders, toasters, griddles, mixers as well as washers, dryers, and dishwashers.
10. Minivan 

In addition to the above list, New Hope loves volunteers and is always looking for new mentors to share their time and talent with the kids. Any contribution you can make, be it your time or materials, makes more of an impact than you can imagine and is another way we encourage you to think beyond the paycheck.

U.S Department of Labor Launches Free Smartphone App, Made For Employees

On May 9th, 2011 The U.S Department of Labor launched its first smartphone application, nicknamed "DOL-Timesheet", this app will allow employees of any sized businesses understand their rights and empower them to take action if employers have denied them of pay for the work they have done.

This application will allow employees and employers keep track of the hourly wage, company defined work week and hours worked that week. This includes break time, meal periods, and overtime hours. The employer will also have a daily, weekly or monthly format showing the employers the hours worked and gross pay for depending on what they choose to view it as. The user will also have the ability to customize the application, allowing email updates to the user or employer. A glossary section is also included in the application which provides references and web site links to wage and hour laws. Users can also contact the Department of Labor if they have any questions regarding the application or any concerns they have about their rights.

There will be potential resistance to the use of this application at the workplace. As employers may prohibit the use of this application. There may be discrepencies between the employer and employee that cannot be resolved just based on application use. Employers should consider the pros and cons of this application as it could ensure accuracy between their time clocks and book keeping with the mobile app.

Do you believe that this app can be beneficial to you? Should employers consider the use of this application? Let us know your opinion.


This is currently available for the iPhone and iTouch.