In this blog, we offer you five solid, no cost resources that can often help keep you up to date about changes to HR laws, regulations, and best practices so you can address today’s issues and plan for tomorrow’s needs.
1. U.S. Department of Labor Fact Sheets (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets)
The Department of Labor (DOL) Facts Sheets to those working in HR are like air, water, sunlight. Ok, maybe that’s a bit extreme. You can function without DOL Fact Sheets. You can also technically function without caffeine, but do you really want to try?
The DOL Fact Sheets are laws and regulations broken down into the nuts and bolts you need to keep your organization compliant in a wide variety of areas. Need an FMLA refresher on who is defined as a son or daughter?– Fact Sheet 28B. Can’t remember the how to classify employees in Computer-Related Occupations for FLSA? – Fact Sheet 17E. No clue what FMLA or FLSA stand for or are? – Fact Sheet 14 (FLSA) and Fact Sheet 28 (FMLA). The list could go on and on and on.
DOL Fact Sheets are free, can be downloaded in as a PDF, and can help with overall definitions or be narrowed down to specific areas within DOL’s various laws and regulations. Will you need these every day? Hopefully not. However, whenever you need guidance, a reminder, or a condensed, focused version of the law straight from those who enforce it, you cannot find a better resource.
2. EEOC Email Updates (https://www.eeoc.gov/connect-us)
The EEOC email is a great resource that comes right to your inbox with information that could be invaluable to you and your organization. While the emails will provide updates about leadership changes and happenings in the agency, they also send information about topics such as approved changes to how discrimination claims will be processed or changes about who is included as a protected class. Another helpful feature of these emails are news of the EEOC decisions and penalties assessed to organizations who violate discrimination laws. These decisions can help you see examples of what not to do, reminders of what you should do, and give you a reason to high-five yourself because your organization is compliant.
3. National Labor Relations Board Email Newsletter (https://www.nlrb.gov/email-subscription-service)
We know that not every business has a union and that some are not under the rules and regulations of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), but that does not mean this cannot be a valuable resource. Just like the EEOC, you can visit the NLRB for specific information or to read the weekly decisions.
NLRB emails are also a great way to get information without using a lot of time. The weekly decision emails arrive on Mondays and you can scan the decision list and see if anything may apply to your organization or is of interest to your industry.
Again, you may be thinking I don’t have union but please hold that thought. The NLRB decisions cover a wide variety of topics from issues with employees trying to organize, to violations of employee rights to who falls under NLRB jurisdiction. Some of these topics could one day show up at your doorstep and if you keep up with the weekly NLRB decisions you will have a clue as to what could happen and where to begin if it does.
4. Society of Human Resources (www.SHRM.org)
The Society of Human Resources (SHRM) is a valuable resource that covers all things HR. Are all of the resources free? No. But you will find a lot of resources that can help you keep up to date with legal changes, emerging best practices, and industry trends.
A great place to start for free resources is under the “HR Today” tab on their website. Here you can find blogs, podcasts, survey results, and policy information to help you know what could affect your organization today and forecast what could happen in the future. The second place to look for free resources is in the aptly named “Resources” tab. While most of the resources are for members in this area, topics such as Sponsor White Papers are free. Also, if you click on the headings under HR Topics, you will see a list of resources and those without a lock beside them are free. One other free resource on the SHRM site are the webcasts which can be found under Education in the “Learning” tab. The information provided by SHRM is grounded in research and best practices so it is worth a little searching on their site to find their freebies.
5. Human Resources Today (https://www.humanresourcestoday.com)
Human Resources Today (HRT) is a website, sponsored by the Academy of Human Resource Development, that compiles relevant blogs, webinars, and downloadable resources in one place. From articles that help you to purchase HR software to webinars about employee mental health, you have a clearinghouse of HR information at your fingertips. You no longer are stuck mining your way through Google to find a place to learn about important HR topics. If you don’t need to find an individual HR topic, but just want to stay up to date and educated about HR, you can subscribe to the HRT email list to have topics brought to your inbox each day. HRT can help you find the information you need or get you going in the right direction to find the answers you are looking for on a numerous of HR topics.
All of these resources offer you the opportunity to learn, grow, and stay compliant without expense or much hassle. Each of these can get you pretty far when trying to problem solve and address different HR matters. So, we encourage you to try out the links above and take advantage of these quality free resources to give you poor budget a break.
Unfortunately, not all HR issues and needs can be handled with free resources or even most paid memberships. There are often times that self-serve information doesn’t flag a critical compliance gap or may not give the best advice for your unique situation. That is when The Bradley Partnerships (TBP) is here for you. We can help you and your organization be compliant, conduct investigations, and offer a whole menu of HR services tailored to your needs. Please visit our website http://www.bradleypartnerships.com or contact us at info@bradleypartnerships.com.
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