Beef Up PTO to Attract Talent

With a tougher competition for talent this year, it’s time to rethink how to remain competitive to attract and retain your workforce. Offering a well-rounded package of leave benefits is crucial for your employees to maintain a work and life balance and come back to the job refreshed. Updating your company handbook and vacation policies is also necessary to ensure any recent legal mandates are included. Gotcha Covered is here to help!

Vaccines in the workplace

Many questions have arisen in the workplace as the COVID-19 vaccines become widely available in the United States. Before employers decide on whether to encourage or to require their employees to be vaccinated, we recommend analyzing what type of work is in question to determine whether a vaccine is job-related and consistent with business needs. You can also consider your workplace culture and how your employees can potentially react to a mandated or optional vaccination policy. Click here for a guide of workplace vaccination questions from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Gotcha Covered HR can help to ensure your policies comply with the latest COVID-19 mandates.

PRIDE

As we celebrate Pride Month, it is important to remember that the struggle for equality isn’t just a once-a-year moment. As HR consultants, we encourage employers to champion for your employees. Posting pride flags and rainbow colors on your websites and social media is irrelevant if you have not first cultivated a work environment where your LGBTQIA+ employees feel safe and valued. Hire people who promote equality in practice and not just in theory. Foster a safe environment in which all employees may learn, grow, and ask questions without fear of reprisal. Create a zero-tolerance policy for derogatory jokes and comments. Ask for feedback on ways to improve to ensure that LGBTQIA+ employees are always safe and supported at work.

Where is GCHR this month?

EEO Compliance Advisor Michelle Butler and President/CEO Patricia Pannell are partnering with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to present on the topics "How to Prevent Sexual Harassment" and "Do's and Don'ts of Human Resources.”

Pictured below, Patricia Pannell (Patti), a committee chair of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), with scholarship recipients Cheryl Scaglione, Theresa Nguyen, and Brittany Barras (not pictured).

The ABWA Luncheon held this month honored the recipients of the Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund. The fund exists to provide educational grants and scholarships to women pursuing post-secondary education goals.

Congratulations to our 2021 scholarship recipients!

Juneteenth

President Joe Biden signed a bill establishing Juneteenth, the date commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, as a federal holiday. Last year a national trend ignited employers to expand their commitments to diversity and inclusion initiatives by recognizing Juneteenth as a paid holiday. For businesses unable to offer Juneteenth as a paid holiday, there are several other ways you can incorporate the holiday as a part of an overall commitment to fostering a more inclusive workplace. Read here for SHRM recommendations on Honoring Juneteenth at Work.

Honoring Juneteenth in New Orleans

Visit NewOrleans.com for how you can commemorate Juneteenth in NOLA, special 2021 Juneteenth celebrations, and black-owned businesses you can support on Juneteenth and beyond!