On March 18 th , 2020, the  Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) , was signed by President Trump. This bill is anticipated to go into effect within 15 days from its enactment and will expire on December 31, 2020.  The act requires employers to provide two
new kinds of leave,  Paid Sick Leave   and  Paid Family Leave . 

Click  HERE  (you may need to click on the image to enlarge for viewing purposes)  for our summary of the FFCRA. 
 
Alternative HRD  will continue to monitor the best way to implement the requirements and keep you updated along the way.  If you have any questions about how to address this or have any other employment-related situations, please contact us at  (605) 335-8198!

Disclaimer: As always, we do not provide legal or tax advice. Before taking any actions based on the information provided, employers should review the material with internal and/or external counsel.    
How to Best Manage Your Remote Workers!

Many employers are adopting a risk reduction strategy and encouraging employees to work from home. For companies that are largely made up of offsite workers, this approach generally won’t pose a challenge; however, many companies have never worked that way and, as a result, either have no formal policy or they’re frantically creating one.

Here are a few things to consider making the time away from the office productive and successful.

  • First of all, assume the best in people. Great employees are great employees regardless of where they perform their work. Skills such as time management, personal drive and initiative and a good work ethic do not start when someone walks into the office. Research shows that remote workers are actually more productive than those who work in the office.

  • Second, define and communicate expectations before the arrangement is made. Since this is an unprecedented and temporary time, don’t get too hung up on creating a policy. However, you will want some sort of work arrangement that includes key expectations that you both agree on. How will communication occur? How will work be transferred? What kind of privacy and security is needed? Does the employee have access to high speed internet? What hours should they be available? Will you have regular, virtual meetings or phone calls?  

  • Third, stay in touch with employees who are working from home. All employees need to have regular communication; a lack of communication leads to higher anxiety and stress. It is especially important to be intentional about communicating with remote workers. Remote workers lose the social aspect of work when they are out of the office. Be proactive about reaching out to them to make sure they feel connected to the rest of the team. Make sure the communication is a two-way street as they need to have a place to voice their concerns as well.  

Leading and managing folks is tough, regardless of whether they are in the same room or not. Managing a remote team is not harder, it’s just different. It’s important that leadership is able to pivot their style to keep people engaged, healthy, and productive.  

Do You Still Have Questions?
Alternative HRD can be your resource during this
challenging time.

Contact us today at  605.335.8198 !
We Have Added to Our Team!!!
Alternative HRD would like to welcome Jessica Ashton, HR Consultant, to their team!

Jessica Ashton has over 10 years of experience as a Human Resource Director. She is a dedicated professional that has worked in the corporate, cooperative and non- profit sectors. Jessica would say she fell into, and subsequently in love, with human resources. In addition to the many areas of HR, she performed all payroll functions at the companies she has worked.

Being a firm believer that employees are a company’s best asset and HR’s main customer, Jessica is an advocate for equipping people with the knowledge they need to be successful and make informed decisions.

Jessica has a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management (MBA-HRM).
She is also certified by the Human Resource Institute (HRCI) as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), and is certified by the Society of Human Resource Management as a Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). Locally, Jessica has served on the board of Sioux Empire SHRM (SESHRM).

Jessica can be reached at
605-335-8198 , and at [email protected] .
Be sure to visit and follow us on social media for the latest information on events, articles, and HR updates!
605.335.8198
888.335.8198
Sioux Falls
Brookings