“What happens when you hire a person with disabilities is you see how we do our jobs and then the mystery is over and we’re not special anymore. We become a part of the fabric of the work culture.” - Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, who is also blind. Before moving into Human Resources, I spent several years working in the disability insurance industry. I worked with employees experiencing some of the most challenging circumstances anyone can expect to encounter in their lifetime. Many found their way back to gainful employment after recovering, or learning to live with medical and mental health diagnosis such as permanent paralysis, agoraphobia, cancer, fibromyalgia, depression and multiple sclerosis, to name a few. What made the difference in these employees’ lives was the support of fearless employers and human resource professionals who looked past assumptions about limitations to see the possibilities. On the other hand, some employers have fears of heavy burdens and unmanageable expenses related to hiring and accommodating employees with qualifying disabilities. These fears, when acted upon, can lead to discriminatory hiring and employment practices. I can say that in my experience, which is extensive, the fears are of the unknown, with little bearing in reality or when compared to the very real benefits of hiring talented employees, embracing diversity and limiting discrimination claims. 3 Business Tax Incentives to Offset Accomodation Costs While there may be time and expense related to providing reasonable accommodations, businesses have many tax credits available to them for offsetting cost, including: Disabled Access Credit: This is a credit for small businesses that incur expenditures for providing access to persons with disabilities. An eligible small business may take the credit each and every year they incur access expenditures. Architectural Barrier Removal Tax Deduction: This deduction allows businesses to claim up to $15,000 a year in qualified expenses, for items that normally must be capitalized, to remove architectural and transportation barriers to the mobility of persons with disabilities. Work Opportunity Credit: This credit provides eligible employers a tax credit up to 40 percent on the first year’s wages (up to $6,000) for a new employee with a credit-qualifying disability. Finding the right talent in the 21st century workforce will become increasingly challenging. Organizations cannot afford to overlook any source of valuable contributors if they want to stay competitive. At Helios HR, we help our clients develop smart solutions and the sound policy needed to both accomplish business goals and support a spirit of diversity and inclusion.

HR compliance is an enormous topic and there is much to be considered when discussing it. There are employment law compliance responsibilities around benefits, 401k plans, federal contracting, record retention, state, and federal regulations…the list is endless. While the risk of not being in compliance can cost an organization hundreds of thousands of dollars, in some ways, I personally think this is one of the simplest disciplines of Human Resources. As an HR consultant who conducts many Human Resource audits for our clients, my advice to you is to get a process in place and stick with it. Once you have identified and corrected any gaps that exist, it's important that you maintain compliance throughout the year and the following audit checklist can help you do just that.

Wait a minute… aren’t HR professionals typically writing about how important employee recognition is within an organization? If you are a little thrown off by the title, let me ease your mind, this blog will, in fact, reiterate how employee recognition plays a vital role in employee engagement and retention. The problem with employee recognition is that many organizations are making significant attempts to recognize employee achievements, but they’re not quite hitting the mark to make it meaningful. Just providing a reward is not enough for employees. As organizations review or implement employee recognition programs, we sometimes forget to look at the impact these programs have on an employee’s feeling of success and value within the organization. Below are three common missteps that organizations make when administering an employee recognition program.

For the majority of American’s, at one point or another we have probably had some sort of authority figure directing our work. If you are one of those who decided to skip this step and go into business yourself at the age of 15, I applaud you! For the rest of us, we have had some incarnation of a boss or supervisor who has directed our daily activities at some point in our lives.

In the DC Metro area, it's no secret that we have a multitude of Government Contracting firms. Over the past few years in particular, we have all felt the industry contract from $550 billion to $450 billion. While some may argue this contraction is temporary, we may still have a few more years of industry tightening.

Whether or not you know it, there is likely someone on your team who struggling with a mental health condition. One in 5 people experience mental illness each year. Everyone can benefit from awareness about mental health in helping to reduce the stigma.