Skip to content

Employer's Report: Employers Report Post

Read our CEA monthly newsletter, curated and written by our team of experts.

Missing out on the action?

Subscribe Now

I-9 Self Audits and Best Practices

Posted by Kim Gusman, President & CEO on January 29, 2025

Tags: ,

With the new Trump administration now in place, U.S. immigration is expected to be a top priority. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to dramatically ramp up I-9 audits this year as they are the most common type of immigration worksite enforcement. Employers should review their Form I-9 compliance now and be prepared for potential I-9 audits.

I-9 Basics

Every employee on your payroll must have an I-9 form on file to prove their right to work in U.S. These forms must be completed within three days of an employee’s hire date. Sometimes employers inadvertently make mistakes on the forms, such as failing to complete the I-9 forms fully, incorrect dates, or not having the proper documentation necessary. Even if you use electronic forms, you should audit your process and forms to ensure compliance.

Employers in certain industries, such as agriculture, manufacturing and construction are often more likely targets of these audits. Violations can vary from $2789 per violation for an error on each form, to more than $27,000 and/or prison time for knowingly employing an unauthorized worker.

A California law requires employers who receive notice of a federal agency’s inspection of I-9s (or other employment records) to provide notice within 72 hours to employees and their collective bargaining representative (if any). Notice to an “affected employee” and their collective bargaining representative (if any) is also required within 72 hours of the employer receiving notice that the agency has identified an employee as potentially lacking work authorization or having document deficiencies. For further details on the required contents of these notices and related templates, CEA Members can access our Employee Records Government Inspections Fact Sheet on our website.

I-9 Self Audit Best Practices   

  • Update your new hire orientation/onboarding paperwork with the new Form 1-9 now, available on the USCIS website. (Last updated August 1, 2023)
  • If you need a new hire packet with all required documents for hiring an employee in California, visit the CEA store.
  • Provide the form and instructions to the new employee during your new hire orientation/onboarding process, either in print or electronically.
  • Employees get to decide which forms of identification they want to present as proof. The employer can only show them the page that lists the acceptable documents and remind them they either need one from List A -or- one from both Lists B and C.
  • Employees must present their unexpired documentation within 3 business days of starting work for pay. If they don’t or can’t present you with ALL the documents needed to complete the form by that time, the employee must stop working until they can provide you with the correct documentation.
  • Employers must review the employee’s documentation in their presence. While not required, some employers choose to take a copy of the documents presented to prove that they were received, but it’s not required unless you participate in E-Verify.
  • Be familiar with your employee notice obligations in connection with government I-9 inspections.

Self audits provide an opportunity for you to correct your practices and errors. When questions arise during a self-audits, give us a call and we can walk you through the best way to correct errors. Members can log in and then access the I-9 Self Audit Toolkit on our website.

California Paid Sick Leave Tips for Cold and Flu Season

Posted by Giuliana Gabriel, Vice President of Human Resources on January 29, 2025

Tags: ,

If you have kids in school, you may agree that it feels like they are walking petri dishes whenever they return to class after a break, bringing home various colds and flus. This past month, our house was no exception and validated my personal belief that in January, every day feels like a Monday.

Although January is now behind us, we are still in cold and flu season until the weather starts to warm. At the beginning of the calendar year, many employers also reset sick leave banks, which means you may see an uptick in leave requests in the first quarter of the year. With that in mind, it is a good time for employers to refresh themselves on California Paid Sick Leave (PSL) rights, with our 5 top tips below.

Tip #1: All Employees are Entitled

First, it is a common misconception that only fulltime or regular employees are entitled to paid sick leave. In fact, the rule is the same for everyone: all employees are entitled to California PSL and it is not prorated for part-time employees. More specifically, all employees who work at least 30 days for the same employer within a year in California, including part-time, temporary employees, etc. are covered by the law’s protections, subject to a few narrow exceptions.

Note that some employees are partially exempt from certain PSL requirements if they are covered by a qualifying collective bargaining agreement with specified provisions. 

Tip #2: Employers Have Options

Employers have a few different options to satisfy PSL requirements. The most common ones include:

  • Frontload (i.e., Lump Sum): The employer frontloads employees a sick leave bank of 40 hours or 5 days (whichever is greater) at the beginning of a 12-month period. The bank will “reset” to 40 hours or 5 days each year, with no carryover of unused sick leave.
  • Default Accrual Method: Employees accrue one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Unused sick leave carries over to the following year, but employers may cap it at 80 hours or 10 days (whichever is greater).
  • Alternative Accrual Method: An employer provides an alternative accrual method that will result in an employee having at least 24 hours of accrued sick leave or paid time off by the 120th calendar day in a year and 40 hours by the 200th calendar day. Again, unused sick leave carries over to the following year, but employers may cap it at 80 hours or 10 days (whichever is greater).

It is important to remember that it is required for employers to have a written Paid Sick Leave policy if you use a method other than the default accrual method. In any case, we recommend that employers always include a paid sick leave policy in their employee handbook, outlining covered purposes, notice requirements, and any usage restrictions. As an additional reminder, any available sick leave must also be listed on an employee’s wage statement.

You may decide to use a combination of PSL options based on employee classification. For example, some employers may choose to frontload sick leave hours for full-time employees, while part-time employees are subject to accruing sick leave based on hours worked. This is a good solution for employers who want to avoid giving very part-time employees a full 40-hour leave bank upfront. 

Tip #3: Permitted Employer Restrictions  

Employers have a few ways to restrict sick leave usage, but should make sure any restrictions are clearly outlined in their policy. For example, although any new hire begins accruing paid sick leave on day one of employment (or is immediately frontloaded hours in the case of a lump sum), you may restrict usage of paid sick leave until after they have completed 90 days of employment with you.

Additionally, although an employee may earn up to 80 hours or 10 days of paid sick leave under the accrual methods, you can still restrict usage in a 12-month period to 40 hours or 5 days.

Tip #4: Sick Leave Protections

California employers should proceed with caution and get guidance when an employee’s sick leave rights may be at issue. PSL carries many protections. In its FAQs, the DIR reminds employers:

“[I]n general terms, [] if an employee has accrued sick days available, an employer may not deny the employee the right to use those accrued paid sick days, including the right to use paid sick leave for a partial day (e.g., to attend a doctor’s appointment), and may not discipline the employee for doing so . . . if an employee has accrued and available sick leave, and is using his or her accrued paid sick leave for a purpose as specified in the law, it is not permissible for an employer to give the employee an “occurrence” for the absence . . .”

Also, even if an employee does not have protected sick leave time available, you may need to consider other available protected leaves (e.g., CFRA/FMLA), and you may still be required to accommodate them or provide leave time under the FEHA/ADA. 

Tip #5: Combined PTO Policies

Some employers choose to satisfy PSL requirements by offering a Paid Time Off (PTO) program, which combines sick and vacation under one leave bank. When an employer chooses to do this, PTO carries the protections of both sick and vacation laws and for this reason, is most beneficial to employees. For example, time used for sick leave purposes can be taken with little to no notice and would protect the employee from adverse action. Plus, just like vacation, the employee would have a right to be paid out all PTO on their final paycheck, should they leave your employment. This is not required for sick leave under a stand-alone PSL policy.

These are just a few examples, but there are many more implications for PTO policies. We recommend having a trusted advisor assist you in drafting your program, to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements.

CEA Can Assist You!

CEA has a team of HR Advisors that can assist your company in drafting sick leave, vacation and PTO policies, as well as customized employee handbooks. Give us a call at 800.399.5331 to get started.

Significant Changes to Federal Contracting and Potential Scrutiny of Private Sector DEI Programs

Posted by Cascade Employers Association Compliance Team on January 29, 2025

Tags: , ,

Late on January 21, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity. This Order is focused on eliminating “discriminatory” DEI programs, targeting both federal contractors and private sector entities.

Impact on Federal Contractors

This Executive Order revokes Executive Order 11246 (EO 11246) which was originally signed in 1965 and established various Affirmative Action requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors, including written plans and reporting requirements. In revoking EO 11246, Section 3 of Trump’s new Executive Order states:

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs within the Department of Labor shall immediately cease:

  1. Promoting “diversity”;
  2. Holding Federal contractors and subcontractors responsible for taking “affirmative action”; and
  3. Allowing or encouraging Federal contractors and subcontractors to engage in workforce balancing based on race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion, or national origin.

It also states that covered contractors may choose to continue complying with the requirements of EO 11246 for up to 90 days from January 20, 2025. Finally, the EO requires that all federal contracts and grants include a term requiring parties to agree that “its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions” and a term requiring parties “to certify that it does not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.” 

It is worth nothing that this Executive Order does not change a covered contractor’s tracking and reporting obligations under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (protecting the disabled) and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Act of 1974 (VEVRAA) (protecting certain veterans). These are protected by statute.

Impact on Private Sector DEI Programs

Section 4 of the Executive Order requires federal agency heads along with the Attorney General to submit a report within 120 days that contains “recommendations for enforcing Federal civil-rights laws and taking other appropriate measures to encourage the private sector to end illegal discrimination and preferences, including DEI.”

The report shall contain a proposed strategic enforcement plan identifying:

  1. Key sectors of concern within each agency’s jurisdiction;
  2. The most egregious and discriminatory DEI practitioners in each sector of concern;
  3. A plan of specific steps or measures to deter DEI programs or principles (whether specifically denominated “DEI” or otherwise) that constitute illegal discrimination or preferences. As a part of this plan, each agency shall identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations of publicly traded corporations, large non-profit corporations or associations, foundations with assets of 500 million dollars or more, State and local bar and medical associations, and institutions of higher education with endowments over 1 billion dollars;
  4. Other strategies to encourage the private sector to end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences and comply with all Federal civil-rights laws;
  5. Litigation that would be potentially appropriate for Federal lawsuits, intervention, or statements of interest; and
  6. Potential regulatory action and sub-regulatory guidance.

It is worth noting that the Order does not prohibit all DEI efforts, but only those that could violate federal anti-discrimination laws. In reality, most DEI efforts do not violate civil rights laws, so this will need to be more clearly defined.  All employers must still comply with applicable state and local anti-discrimination laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and how these laws have been applied in the court system. For example, this does not change an employer’s obligation to provide a workplace free of discrimination and harassment under Title VII and applicable state and local laws.

Interestingly, the Executive Order does not define many of the terms it uses such as illegal discrimination.  For example, Affirmative Action requirements prohibit the use of quotas or preferences as THAT would be illegal. These regulations, in fact, do not permit employers to make employment decisions based on protected classes such as race and gender. This also, has not changed.

There is still much that is unknown about how this Executive Order will be implemented and its impact on employers. Cascade will continue to monitor this issue and provide updates as we learn more about how to navigate this emerging issue.

If Cascade completes your Affirmative Action Plan, we will be reaching out to discuss the next steps.

CEA NOTE to California Employers

While the Executive Order may change contractor affirmative action obligations, California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)’s prohibitions of discrimination, harassment or retaliation and its requirement for employers of five or more employees to train all employee on harassment prevention every two (2) years remains the same. CEA delivers compliant harassment training in multiple ways in English and Spanish, including private (virtual or live) training at your location, webinars and On-demand Courses.

This article was originally published by CEA’s sister association, Cascade Employers Association on January 22, 2025. Additional notes about how the Executive Orders may affect California businesses have been added by Virginia Young, HR Compliance Director, CEA. 

FAQ’s About Non-Exempt Employee Travel Time Pay

Posted by Mari Bradford, Senior HR Director on January 29, 2025

Tags: , ,

Q: I’m confused about when I have to pay my employees travel time. Can you help?

Yes! When an employee is required to report to a work site other than their regular site, the employer must pay the employee travel time for any time in excess of the employee’s normal commute time to and from the regular site. For example, it usually takes an employee 30 minutes for their commute from home to their office. You direct them to report to another office that is 60 minutes away. Therefore, you would need to pay the employees for 30 minutes of travel time since it is 30 minutes in excess of their regular commute.

Once the workday has begun, any travel between work sites or other locations is also compensable time. If an employee has a temporary work location change, the employee must be compensated for any additional time required to travel to the new job site in excess of the employee’s normal commute time.

Q: My employee is traveling out of town for a work conference. How do I pay them while traveling?

If an employer requires an employee to attend an out-of-town business meeting, training session, or any other event, the employer must pay for the employee’s time in getting to and from the location of that event.   For example, your employee flies from Sacramento to LA to attend a conference. The time they spend driving, or as a passenger on an airplane, train, bus, taxi cab or car, or other mode of transportation, in traveling to and from this out-of-town event, and time spent waiting to purchase a ticket, check baggage, or get on board is all paid time.  Because the employee is subject to the employer’s control they must be paid for these hours worked.

Once they arrive at their destination and are free to do as they please, for example, eating a meal, sightseeing, sleeping or engaging in purely personal pursuits not connected with traveling or making necessary travel connections, it is not considered work time and is not compensable.   

Q: Can I pay a lower hourly rate of pay when the employee is traveling?

Yes, an employer may establish a separate rate of pay for travel before the work is performed for hourly employees, provided the rate does not fall below the applicable minimum wage. But keep in mind that nonexempt employees must be paid at the appropriate overtime rate (i.e., any hours worked in excess of eight in a workday or 40 in a workweek, among other overtime requirements). (See Labor Code Section 515). If travel time and work time exceed eight hours in a workday, the employee must receive travel pay at one and one-half times the weighted average of the regular pay rate and the travel time rate combined (note, double time is owed if travel time and work time exceed twelve hours in a workday).

CEA has fact sheets on travel pay as well as calculating overtime available to our members.  Visit our HR Forms page and select “Pay and Scheduling” to see a full list of our fact sheets and reference tools.

On-Demand Harassment Training

Posted by California Employers Association on January 1, 2025

Tags:

CEA Membership Highlight: On-Demand Harassment Prevention Training 

California businesses with 5 or more employees MUST provide harassment prevention training every 2 years (SB1343). Employees are required to have 1 hour of training. Supervisors and Managers are required to have 2 hours of training. CEA Members can assign this training to an unlimited number of employees through CEA University!

Courses can be taken anytime 24/7. Other advantages include:

    • Consistency – everyone trained with consistent quality
    • Easy Implementation – quickly deploy and train your entire workforce
    • Self-Paced – learn at your own pace, allows you to leave the training and pick it up again where you left off
    • Includes Certificate of Completion
    • Access to CEA experts Monday – Friday 8 am – 5 pm (PST) for questions related to this training

Need assistance setting up your employees or managers for their free Harassment Prevention Training? Our Membership Manager, Evan Wise, is happy to walk you through this member benefit step-by-step. Reach out to Evan at ewise@employers.org to schedule a call.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About…

Posted by California Employers Association on January 1, 2025

Tags:

What you didn’t know about….
Jackie Gunby, Product & Operations Support and Virginia Young, J.D., HR Compliance Director, have recently joined the CEA Team. Jackie Gunby, Products & Operations Support, CEA

1. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

It’s actually a quote I had on my desk for years: “Solve it quickly, solve it right or wrong. If you solve it wrong, it will come back and slap you in the face, and then you can solve it right. Lying dead in the water and doing nothing is a comfortable alternative because it is without risk, but it is an absolutely fatal way to manage a business.”  –Thomas John Watson, Sr. (February 17, 1874 – June 19, 1956) President of International Business Machines (IBM)

2. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their career?

Always advocate for yourself!  Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance, guidance, professional development, raises and bonuses. Sometimes people who are new to the workforce are reluctant to ask for help or raises and if you don’t talk to your supervisors, managers and executives they don’t always know what you need, or what your goals are.

3. What’s something that most people don’t know about you?

I’m a huge animal behavior geek, body language, predator vs. prey behavior, how animals (in particular, domesticated animals) communicate with each other, other species and humans. And there’s a bathtub at the bottom of a foothill lake with my name on it from the 1970’s.

4. When you’re not weren’t working at CEA, what are you be doing?

More volunteering!  I’ve been working with therapy animals for more than 25 years, and visiting with my own dogs in different types of facilities. My favorite populations are juvenile detention and locked-down mental health facilities.  There are both underserved populations that benefit from a fun learning experience or pleasant diversion and a warm animal to touch and hug for support.

5. What’s one thing on your bucket list?

Petra! I’m hugely interested in antiquity, archeology, paleo-anything. I’d also like to participate in an archeological dig of some type!

 

Virginia Young, HR Compliance Director, CEA

1. How long have you been with CEA?

Just over three months.

2. What has been your favorite project at CEA so far?

Talking to CEA members on the HR Support Line.

3. Where did you grow up?

I was a Navy kid, so I lived many places before attending high school in San Francisco, while living on Yerba Buena Island. I have spent most of my adult life in Northern California.

4. What was your favorite class in college?

The most interesting class I took in my major (economics) was Law and Economics, which used economic theory to analyze legal rules and enforcement. The most enjoyable class I took was Fine Arts in Paris during my junior year in Paris. Our instructor, a lovely woman named Olive, took our small group of 10 students on personally guided docent tours every Thursday morning, followed by lunch of course. I loved every minute, even the final project of leading the class on our own docent-led tour.

5. What’s your favorite quote, motto, or words you live by?

Listen more.

2025 Brings New Minimum Wages by State, City, & County

Posted by Virginia Young, J.D., HR Compliance Director on January 1, 2025

Tags:

Happy New Year! Many hourly and even some salaried employees are celebrating the new 2025 minimum wage increases occurring across California, which went into effect on January 1, 2025. Be sure your employees are getting the correct minimum wage by double checking exactly where remote employees now reside, and reviewing which cities and municipalities your on-site employees are working.

California’s 2025 state minimum wage increased to $16.50/hour for 2025. However, there are still many local minimum wage ordinances that require even higher minimum wages in their geographical boundaries. It’s likely that minimum wages are even higher for those employees who work in the fast food and health care industries. More information is available here on the fast food minimum wage, or the healthcare worker minimum wage.

See the full list of January 1 local increases below. Remember, local minimum wage ordinances are based on where your worker is physically working, not necessarily where your office or headquarters is located.

Your salaried exempt employees who work and live in California may also be celebrating. The minimum wage increase automatically increased the minimum salary requirement for your exempt (salaried) employees to $68,640 on January 1. (This amount is calculated by multiplying the state minimum wage of $16.50 by two and then multiplying that amount by 2080 hours.) Good news-the higher local minimum wages do NOT affect the exempt salary threshold! Unfortunately for employers in fast food and health care, the fast food minimum wage and health care worker minimum wage DOES impact the exempt employee salary minimum.

Local minimum wage increases that go above and beyond California’s State Minimum wage of $16.50, effective January 1, 2025, include:

Northern California:

  • Belmont: $18.30/hour
  • Burlingame: $17.43/hour
  • Cupertino: $18.20/hour
  • Daly City: $17.07/hour
  • East Palo Alto: $17.45/hour
  • El Cerrito: $18.34/hour
  • Foster City: $17.39/hour
  • Half Moon Bay: $17.47/hour
  • Hayward: $17.36/hour (26 or more employees); $16.50/hour (25 or fewer employees)
  • Los Altos: $18.20/hour
  • Menlo Park: $17.10/hour
  • Mountain View: $19.20/hour
  • Novato: $17.27/hour (100 or more employees); $17.00/hour (26-99 employees); $16.42/hour (25 or fewer employees; however, employers must pay higher state minimum wage $16.50/hour)
  • Oakland: $16.89/hour
  • Oakland Hotels: $18.36/hour (with benefits); $24.98/hour (without benefits)
  • Palo Alto: $18.20/hour
  • Petaluma: $17.97/hour
  • Redwood City: $18.20/hour
  • Richmond: $17.77/hour
  • San Carlos: $17.32/hour
  • San Jose: $17.95/hour
  • San Mateo (City): $17.95/hour
  • San Mateo County: $17.46/hour
  • Santa Clara: $18.20/hour
  • Santa Rosa: $17.87/hour
  • Sonoma (City): $18.02/hour (26 or more employees); $16.96/hour (25 or fewer employees)
  • South San Francisco: $17.70/hour
  • Sunnyvale: $19.00/hour

Southern California:

  • San Diego (City): $17.25/hour
  • West Hollywood: $19.65/hour

Need a list of all current local minimum wages? CEA members, we have you covered with our Local Minimum Wages and PSL Fact Sheet! Got questions? Give us a call at 800-399-5331.

A New Year’s Refresher on Floating Holidays

Posted by Virginia Young, J.D., HR Compliance Director on January 1, 2025

Tags:

As business leaders are updating their handbooks for 2025 and reviewing employee benefits, CEA has received a number of questions about floating holiday policies and personal days. While many employers provide this type of benefit, they are not always aware of the strings attached to them. If not handled properly, floating holidays may be treated like vested vacation, in which case, unused days must be paid out on termination of employment and you must follow California’s vacations rules for carryover and capping this paid time off.

Are Employers Required to Provide Floating Holidays?

No. California law does not require employers to provide paid holidays or paid floating holidays. Some employers choose to observe paid holidays, such as New Year’s Day, Christmas or Thanksgiving, and to give employees additional floating paid days off. Often the goal is to allow employees to choose a paid day off to celebrate their birthday or anniversary with the company, or another holiday the company doesn’t already observe, such as Veterans Day.

My Employee Quit in June. Do I Have to Pay Them for Company-Observed Holidays That Will Occur Later in the Year?

No. Unlike many floating holidays, paid Company-observed holidays (where an employee receives paid time off on a specified day, such as Thanksgiving, New Year’s or Christmas) that will occur later do not have to be paid at termination.

My Employee Quit in June Without Using Their Two Floating Holidays. Do I Have to Pay Them for These Days?

Maybe. The answer depends on your floating holiday policy and practices. According to the California Labor Commissioner, paid leave time provided without condition is presumed to be vacation no matter what name it is given by the employer.

Holidays that are tied to a certain event, such as the employee’s birthday or anniversary, that are required to be used in the same workweek as the event, for example, will likely not be considered floating. Because the time is provided with condition-to be used near the time of the employee’s birthday or anniversary-rather than used at any time, it will likely not be required to be paid out at termination. On the other hand, a holiday that is not tied to a certain event will be treated as vacation and unused days must be paid out on termination of employment.

Best Practices

Review your floating holiday policy, if you have one. A floating holiday that can be used at any time and for any reason the employee chooses will be treated like vacation. If you offer paid time off for birthdays, work anniversaries, etc., make sure your policy requires employees to use this time in the same workweek as the event. Otherwise, you risk that the personal holiday will be treated just like vacation time, and will be subject to payout at termination.

Drafting policies can be challenging! Consider purchasing a DIY Sample Employee Handbook or working with one of  our experienced HR Advisors to quickly create a customized and compliant California Employee Handbook.

Tackling the “Great Detachment”

Posted by Kecia Hanson, Learning & Development Director on January 1, 2025

Tags:

As we step into 2025, the workplace continues to evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities for employers. According to Gallup, this past year, employees were feeling increasingly detached from their jobs, yet struggled to make the leap to a new employer due to the cooling job market and inflation. Gallup refers to this shift as the Great Detachment.

Gallup identified two critical elements that were the cause of this detachment trend: first, a lack of clear expectations from the employer, and second, employees not feeling a sense of connection to the company’s mission and purpose.

While the job market has cooled and employees may be less likely to jump ship, employers should not underestimate the impact of disengaged employees. Studies show time and again, a disengaged employee will ultimately cost the business-disengaged employees are less productive, less loyal, and sometimes, become disgruntled as well, leading to increased claims and complaints.

Are you seeing signs of disengagement or burnout?

Here are 4 tips on how to tackle the Great Detachment head on, and re-engage and motivate your employees in the New Year.

1. Reset Expectations: Less than half of employees say they know what is expected of them at work. When employees don’t have a sense of direction or purpose in their role, it can result in confusion, errors, frustration and ultimately turnover for an organization. When leaders and managers set clear expectations, it fosters a sense of purpose, direction, and accountability, allowing them to feel more confident and motivated in their work, ultimately leading to increased engagement. Leaders and managers can make expectations clear by:

  • Communicating expectations early and often: review your new hire, onboarding, and performance review processes. Is there room for increased engagement opportunities (especially for remote employees)? Do you need more frequent performance reviews or informal check-ins?
  • Engaging in two-way conversations: make sure your employees have an opportunity each week to interact with their manager and not only receive feedback, but also share feedback, set goals, and raise any concerns.
  • Holding regular team/staff meetings: encourage open communication and make sure all departments are working towards the same goals and priorities.

2. Connect Contributions to Your Mission and Purpose: Employees want to know that their work matters and that they are contributing to the successes of their company. Connect the mission and purpose of your organization by:

  • Defining your company’s mission and values: Are these clearly defined? Have they been forgotten by your staff? Does your mission statement or values need a review or refresh?
  • Holding employees accountable: Once your mission and values are clearly defined, is management ensuring these are upheld by walking the walk? If employees do not embody the company’s values are they held accountable?
  • Help employees grow: Part of helping employees feel connected to the organization includes providing them a sense of individual purpose and opportunities for growth and achievement. Assess whether your employees would benefit from training programs or certifications, coaching or mentoring. Are you assigning employees projects according to their individual strengths?
  • Express appreciation and recognition: Cultivating a culture of recognition can motivate employees, increasing their productivity and loyalty. Simple acts of acknowledgment can significantly uplift morale. This can include providing opportunities for positive feedback from peers and colleagues, celebrating professional and personal milestones, and providing bonuses or perks to express gratitude.

Re-engaging employees requires intentional effort and a genuine commitment to your team’s well-being and success. By celebrating achievements, setting clear goals, and fostering a supportive environment, organizations can inspire their employees to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the New Year with enthusiasm and dedication.

When employees feel engaged, valued, and motivated, everyone thrives!

Ensure Your Employees Thrive in 2025

Posted by Jessica Rivera MBA, PHR, SHRM-CP, Training & Coaching Director on January 1, 2025

Tags:

You’ve probably heard the cliché-play to your strengths. Are you doing all you can as a leader to ensure your employees are thriving? When employees discover and leverage their natural talents or strengths, it can transform the way they work and live! And, when leaders understand the unique contributions of each team member, they can assign roles and responsibilities that will align with employees’ individual talents to create a culture where everyone thrives. Gallup’s CliftonStrengths is a powerful assessment tool that helps individuals and teams unlock their potential by identifying their top talents.

One significant benefit of CliftonStrengths assessments is a mindset shift-to focus on your strengths not on weaknesses. Research shows when employees use their strengths they are six times more likely to be engaged at work. Teams that embrace a strengths-based approach will see a definite improvement in their business outcomes.

According to Gallup, workgroups that receive strengths-based development have achieved:

    • 19% increased sales
    • 29% increased profits
    • 59% fewer safety incidents
    • 72% lower turnover (in high-turnover organizations)

Have you taken a StrengthsFinder Assessment?

Whether you’re an individual seeking clarity about your natural talents or a leader looking to unlock your entire team’s potential, CliftonStrengths offers an assessment tool to start this journey and see how focusing on what one does best can lead to extraordinary results.

Upon completion of the assessment, you gain insight into your Top 5 Signature Strengths, the traits that define how you naturally think, feel, and act. These strengths represent the unique ways in which you bring value to your work, relationships, and personal goals.

Team Building Benefits

Beyond personal growth, CliftonStrengths can be a game changer for teams. When everyone understands their strengths and those of their colleagues, a new language of collaboration, recognition and appreciation is created.  This enhances communication and fosters a culture where individuals feel valued for their contributions which can be a critical differentiator for success.

Join CEA for a dynamic 2-hour session on February 12, 2025, where we will guide you through the significance of CliftonStrengths and explore the results of your own StrengthsFinder assessment! Led by certified coaches, this interactive session will include engaging discussions to help you deepen your understanding of how to apply your unique strengths to excel in your career and build meaningful relationships with your team that will lead to higher employee engagement all.

CEA also offers CliftonStrengths workshops for teams and entire companies both virtually and on-site. Feel free to contact us to see how we can support your efforts for your employees to thrive in 2025.

New Year, New HR Checklist for 2025

Posted by Virginia Young, J.D., HR Compliance Director on January 1, 2025

Tags:

It’s officially 2025, which means it’s time to get your HR Checklist ready for the New Year! We’ve got you covered to make sure you stay compliant. Read below for some important reminders.

  • Labor Law Poster: Are your California and federal labor law notices up to date for 2025? Remember, employers are required to physically post state and federal notices in a conspicuous location in your workplace. Order your 2025 All-In-One Poster Here.
  • Employee Handbooks: When was the last time your handbook was updated? There are a number of policy changes required for 2025, including significant changes to crime victim and paid family leave policies. You can purchase a Do-It-Yourself Handbook Guide or we can do the work for you and create a Customized Employee Handbook. If you are a CEA member and need recent updates, give us a call at 800.399.5331.
  • Harassment Prevention Training: If you are a California employer with just 5 or more employees, then your staff must receive harassment prevention training every two years. That means if you trained in 2023 your employees are due for training, or will become due, during 2025. If you last trained before 2023, your employees are due now! CEA has a variety of harassment prevention training options (private in-person, or virtual training, webinars, etc.). Remember, CEA members can access online, on-demand harassment prevention training for free for both employees and supervisors, through CEA University!
  • Workplace Violence Prevention Plans: Most employers were required to develop a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and train employees by July 1, 2024. If you aren’t up to date on this important requirement, visit our Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
  • New Laws: It’s also important to stay up to date on the new laws and regulations going into effect this year, including minimum wage and exempt salary increases, new laws regarding wage-and-hour supervisor trainings and audits, and leaves of absence developments. Register now for our upcoming 2025 Labor Law Update on January 15 from 10:00-11:30 a.m., where we will cover employment laws impacting California businesses.

Need assistance with any of these services for 2025? Give CEA a call at 800-399-5331 or email us at CEAinfo@employers.org to get started.

2025 IRS Mileage Rate Announced

Posted by Virginia Young, J.D., HR Compliance Director on January 1, 2025

Tags:

Employers who use the IRS standard mileage to reimburse employees who drive their personal cars on company business rate will need to pay a little more in 2025. The IRS announced on December 19 that the standard mileage rate for business use will increase to 70 cents per mile on January 1, 2025, up from 67 cents in 2024.

The IRS also announced the following 2025 rates, which are the same as 2024 levels:

  • 21 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the armed forces.
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

These rates apply to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles, including gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles.

Why This Matters

California’s Labor Commissioner has found that the IRS mileage reimbursement rate is “reasonable” for purposes of complying with Labor Code Section 2802. LC 2802 requires employers to reimburse employees for all reasonable and necessary business expenses, such as using a personal vehicle for work purposes.

We encourage employers to use the standard mileage rate to pay tax-free reimbursements to employees who use their own vehicles for business as an alternative to tracking actual costs for operating an automobile for business use.

Next Steps

  • Review your expense reimbursement policies.
  • Utilizing the IRS mileage reimbursement rate for your employees is smart and easy. It covers all of their expenses including gas, insurance, and vehicle maintenance.
  • Notify your controller/bookkeeper or whomever facilitates your expense reimbursements of this new increase.
  • Review your remote worker policy-is it time for an update? Have you clearly designated and documented your 100% remote employees vs. hybrid employees?
  • It’s important that you are accurately paying your employees not only for their drive time but also for any business expenses incurred on behalf of your company.

More questions? Members can contact an HR Advisor at 800.399.5331 or CEAinfo@employers.org.