With 2022 just around the corner, this is the time to check compliance to-dos off your list. The new year often brings new legislation, so it’s an important time to make sure your policies, posters, and practices are up-to-date and in compliance. We’ve put together a checklist of the top five things you may need to freshen up in time for the new year.
1. Employment Posters
Many states publish updates to required employer posters with an effective date of January 1. Make sure your posters and notices are current and posted at your workplace. For remote employees, posters and notices must be available on shared intranet sites and you’ll need to notify your employees where they can find them.
If your company is in the practice of interviewing candidates online only (due to COVID-19 or a general shift toward a remote workforce), you should also be aware of the federal government’s required posting of notices in places visible to both applicants and employees. The U.S. Department of Labor advises employers to include a highly visible notice alongside online job postings stating that “Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws” with links to these three posters:
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Poster
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster (for FMLA covered employers only)
2. Employee Handbooks & Policies
The end of the year is a great time to review your employee handbook to ensure it’s compliant with new laws, as well as federal and state employment laws that may have changed throughout the year. In addition, now is the time to revisit policies related to COVID-19 safety and remote work to ensure they’re up to date and consistent with your current company practices, as well as federal, state, and local requirements.
3. Payroll
Remind employees to review their W-4 and state (where applicable) withholdings for the new year. This is also an excellent time to check addresses and other personal details on file to ensure everything is current, especially with tax season around the corner.
4. Compensation & Total Rewards
Minimum wage increases tend to go live on January 1, so now is the time to review employee wages and ensure you’re in compliance with minimum requirements. Some states have their own minimum salary thresholds that are higher than the federal minimum, so it’s a good idea to check across the board.
While you’re at it, we recommend regularly reviewing employee wages to ensure they’re competitive. The labor market is tight, and compensation is an important part of attracting and keeping talent. Beyond wages, it’s a good idea to learn more about what will keep your employees engaged when it comes to benefits and perks. For some thought starters, check out the results of our recent What People Want from Work Survey in this free webinar.
5. Employee Files and Records
The last critical item on the checklist? Review and organize your employee files and other records to determine what needs to be kept or purged based on recordkeeping requirements. Xenium generally recommends keeping terminated employee files for seven years, but your organization may approach things a little differently. Either way, this is the perfect time to enter the new year with well-organized, up-to-date files.
Check these compliance to-dos off your list and you’ll have everything in order to head into 2022. While none of us can be sure what the new year will bring, at the very least, your organization should be up on the latest compliance and ready to tackle the upcoming year with confidence.