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A/ RECRUITING
Labor is a critical input in many industries
and businesses. The dependability of labor is becoming a major
concern of employers. A number of large concerns have special staff
or even departments to handle these problems. In some firms this
responsibility is an "add-on" for the owner or manager, whose
primary concern is with the other operations of the business.
However, it should nevertheless be a concern of everyone with
management responsibilities. Recruitment, just as other management
functions, must be goal oriented. Successful recruitment must be
based upon the goals of the organization. Therefore, the development
of sound organizational goals and a thorough understanding of and
commitment to these goals, is a prerequisite to any recruiting
activity.
Where
do you find reliable employees?
Unfortunately, this common question has no certain answer for every
business. Generally speaking, the great demand is for skilled and
semi-skilled employees. Even in areas of high unemployment, jobs
requiring certain skills are difficult to fill.
In many areas of California, the only way to
fill these positions is by attracting someone who is already
employed. Placing a short ad in the local paper then waiting for a
response usually is not enough. Taking your chances with the first
guy who walks in the door has some potential disadvantages. With
current labor conditions, today's successful owner must be
aggressive in labor recruitment. Let's take a look at some sources
of labor and how you might reach them.
Job Placement Services
State employment agencies, private agencies,
veterans’ employment, high schools, community colleges, Vo-Tech
schools, and university placement services can offer specialized
assistance. These sources usually have excellent information on
employees and usually maintain contacts that cover large areas. They
can be a great deal of help in matching job requirements with
prospective employees. Many employers have found that using such
services can be less costly than maintaining a personnel department.
All private agencies do not charge the same rates. In any case, do
not let the initial cost scare you; consider instead how much it
will cost for you to not fill the position.
Newspaper Ad
Most newspaper ads are not very informative and
do little to attract the eye of someone reading the “want ad
section.” The current low unemployment rate creates a competitive
situation, which makes it a little tough for the employer. Most
businesses are much better at selling goods and services than
hiring. One of the key elements of selling is being interesting. You
may have to spend a few extra dollars, but experience has shown that
a well-written ad has a much greater chance of obtaining a response.
Consider especially newspapers that have broad, statewide
circulation. Again, the rates may be higher but consider the number
of people who will be seeing your ad.
NB – Under Californian laws, the following
forms of discrimination are prohibited: race, religion,
disability, age, sex, national origin and marital status.
B/ WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE
You cannot do business in the
State of California without Workers' Compensation coverage. The
purpose of Workers' Compensation insurance is to provide medical and
disability benefits for those who suffer an occupational injury or
accident.
Covered Injuries
Occupational Injury is one that
arises out of and in the course of employment. In the course of
employment means that for the injury to be compensable, it must
occur when the employee is at work, during the hours in which he is
expected to be there, and while he is engaged in the work he is
employed to do.
Covered
Accidents
Occupational Accidents must
arise out of employment and are caused by poor conditions or lack of
attention to the work at hand. Workers' Compensation insurance
applies under the following criteria:
1) The bodily injury must be
sustained by an employee included in the group of employees
described in the schedule of salary classification codes.
2) The bodily injury must
arise out of and in the course of employment necessary or
incidental to work in a state listed in the schedule.
3) The bodily injury must
occur in the United States, its territories or possessions, or
Canada, and may occur elsewhere if the employee is a United States
or Canadian citizen temporarily away from those places.
4) A bodily injury by
accident must occur during the policy period.
5) A bodily injury by disease
must be caused or aggravated by the conditions of employment. The
employee's last day or last exposure to the conditions or
aggravating such bodily injury by disease must occur during the
policy period.
Medical
Benefits
Medical Benefits provide
payment for the medical treatment of an injured employee. Most state
statutes provide for medical benefits in both dollar amounts and
duration, as specified in the declaration paper. In those states
where limits are imposed, the limits may be exceeded upon the
approval of the state's Workers' Compensation administrator.
Disability
Benefits
The purpose of disability
benefits is to replace the worker's loss of income or earning
capacity that results from a compensable injury. There are four
classes of disability:
Temporary Total
Disability
Temporary Total Disability is
the most common type of disability. An employee with a temporary
total disability is expected to recover from the injury and return
to employment, but is unable to do any type of work while
recovering. Most states pay temporary total disability benefits for
the duration of the employee's disability, without a limit as to the
total amount.
Permanent
Total Disability
Permanent Total Disability
occurs when an employee suffers an injury that leaves the employee
unable to do any kind of work for the remainder of his or her life.
As with a temporary total disability, the weekly benefit is a
percentage of the worker's weekly wages and is subject to a
minimum/maximum weekly payment. The majority of states provide
permanent total disability for life.
Temporary
Partial Disability
Temporary Partial Disability
occurs when an employee can still do some work but is unable to earn
his or her usual wage until full recovery. Compensation for a
temporary partial disability is usually calculated as a percentage
of the difference between the weekly wage earned during the recovery
period and the weekly wage that would have been earned without any
injury.
Permanent
Partial Disability
Permanent Partial Disability
occurs when an employee suffers an injury from which he or she will
never fully recover, but the injury is such that the ability to work
is only partially affected. In other words, the worker can still do
some work, but his or her earning capacity is less than it would
have been had no injury occurred.
Most states have developed a
list of specific injuries corresponding to benefits used to
compensate workers with the more common permanent partial
disabilities. These lists of injuries, commonly referred to as
scheduled injuries, generally include the loss or loss of use of
certain specified body members, such as a hand, an arm, or a leg,
and the loss of hearing or eyesight. The benefit levels for
scheduled injuries vary from state to state. In 1996, for example,
the maximum benefits for loss of a hand ranged from approximately
$21,500 in Massachusetts to almost $192,500 in Pennsylvania.
Regardless of the type of
disability, all states have a waiting period during which benefits
are not payable. Three days is the most common time period. The
waiting period acts as a deductible and eliminates the
administrative work for small claims. Note that the waiting period
applies only to disability benefits. Medical benefits are
immediately payable. If the disability lasts beyond a specified
number of weeks, usually two or three weeks, retroactive disability
benefits will be paid back to the date of the injury.
Rehabilitation
Benefits
Provisions are generally made
for rehabilitation and rehabilitation-related expenses, such as
board, lodging, or travel. While most states specify that such
rehabilitation must be funded directly by the employer or its
insurer, a number of states have special funds to pay for
rehabilitation costs.
Death Benefits
Death benefits are paid if a
worker's death arises out of and in the course of employment. These
benefits consist of a burial allowance and a weekly income benefit
designed to help compensate those dependent on the lost income.
These weekly wages of the deceased worker are subject to a maximum
and minimum weekly benefit. A time limit often applies to such
benefits, with the children's benefits usually ending at age 18 and
a spouse's benefits usually ending at remarriage.
C/ SALARY
The following charts are the average salary for
employees.
|
Occupation |
Average Annual Salary |
|
Receptionist |
$25,000 |
|
Secretary |
$40,000 |
|
Programmer |
$60,000 |
|
Systems Engineer |
$80,000 |
|
IT Manager |
$100,000 |
|
Accounting Manager |
$90,000 |
|
Marketing Manager |
$100,000 |
The
information on this site is not intended to constitute legal advice
or to substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney
licensed in your state. This web site is not intended to be
advertising under applicable laws and ethical rules. These
materials have been prepared by the French American Chamber of
Commerce with the expertise of our staff and members for
informational purposes only and are not legal advice. Anyone
viewing the information should not act upon it without seeking
professional counsel. The information contained in this website is
provided only as general information which may or may not reflect
the most current legal developments.
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