At some point or another while running your business, you unfortunately will likely need to let someone go, also referred to as a separation or termination of employment. Typically, businesses run into these reasons because either they are cutting costs or have someone performing poorly at their job. Majority of states across the nation, are at-will, meaning they have the right to separate employment at any time. However there are some caveats, therefore your Human Resources team should always keep detailed records to justify the decision to ensure that employee’s rights are not violated and to ensure all federal and state laws are followed during the process.

As a consultant, I am often asked by my clients, “How can I identify employee relations tension before it becomes a company-wide endemic?" Why am I asked this so often? Because employee relations are difficult to assess...

It’s that time of the year when most organizations begin thinking about their retirement plan responsibilities, whether it’s non-discrimination testing or preparing to file the Form 5500 with the IRS. This is usually a nerve-wracking time for employers, as there are often concerns about the outcome of the testing. Will we pass our tests? Will we be required to return hard-earned retirement monies to some of our employees? Will we have more serious issues?

Very recently I had a conversation with the COO and CFO of a client regarding a top candidate who had turned down an offer. They were shocked and confused. They had offered the candidate the compensation she requested and had thrown in a few small perks, but it unfortunately wasn’t enough to seal the deal. Ultimately that candidate (who had multiple offers on the table) accepted another offer. Why?