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HR Pieces:
August 2025 News
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Greetings!
It’s August—and for a lot of businesses, that means the calendar fills up fast! Now’s the time to make sure you’re not just keeping up, but staying ahead. From updated policies to compliance check-ins, a little prep now can save a lot of headaches later.
For over 20 years, HR Advantage has been right there with businesses across the region, offering practical guidance, compliance support, and solutions that actually work in the real world.
Whether you’re sorting out policy changes, tackling workplace issues, or staying on top of employment law updates, we’ll help you handle it with confidence and a people-first approach.
Thanks for letting us be part of your team—especially during your busiest seasons.
With gratitude,
The HR Advantage Team-
Lynette, Camille, Karla, Dana, Liz, Seth, Sarah, Anita, Erinn, Dana, and Diane
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Lynette Weatherford MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, President
Email Lynette
877.894.0202 ext 4
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Camille Knowles PHR,
SHRM-CP, HR Advisor
Email Camille
877.894.0202 ext 3
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Karla Callaway BS
HR Advisor
Email Karla
877.894.0202 ext 2
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Dana Baldwin BS, SPHR,
SHRM-SCP, HR Advisor
Email Dana
877.894.0202 ext 1
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Elizabeth Hurst MBA
Business Development Director
Email Elizabeth
877.894.0202 ext 5
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Seth Bunn BS
Recruitment Advisor
Email Seth
877.894.0202 ext 6
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Sarah Matthews BA
Business Development Manager
Email Sarah
(877) 894-0202 ext 8
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Anita King MA, SHRM-CP
Learning & Development Advisor
Email Anita
877.894.0202 Ext 7
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Erinn Johnson
HR Advisor Assistant
Behind the Scenes
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Dana Snyder, MS, BS, SHRM-CP
HR Advisor Assistant
Email Dana
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Diane Stites, MA, MBA, SHRM-SCP
HR Advisor Assistant
Email Diane
| | HR Hotline | Email | 877-894-0202 ext. 8 | | |
Our Mission Statement:
We deliver customized solutions to make HR simple, strategic, and human- so you can focus on what matters: Your Business. Your People. Your Peace of Mind
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August HR News
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PROP A UPDATE (what you need to know before Aug. 28!)
- Compensation Cost Growth Higher Than Expected in Second Quarter
- A Half of Employers Plan to Shift Health Care Costs to Employees
- Inflation held steady at 2.7% in July
- Question of the Week
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🚨ATTENTION MISSOURI EMPLOYERS & EMPLOYEES🚨
PAID SICK LEAVE? REPEALED.
MINIMUM WAGE? CHANGING.
This is BIG NEWS for anyone affected by Proposition A (Prop A). On July 10, 2025, Governor Mike Kehoe signed House Bill 567, repealing key parts of Prop A.
What’s Changing?
Paid Sick Leave is Going Away
Effective August 28, 2025 – Missouri employers will no longer be required to provide paid sick leave under state law.
Until then, keep following the current rule: 1 hour of sick leave per 30 hours worked. Employers: You may update policies now, but be sure employees know what’s changing.
Minimum Wage Updates Stay (for now)
$13.75/hour – effective Jan 1, 2025
$15.00/hour – effective Jan 1, 2026
After 2026: No more automatic inflation-based increases.
Next Steps for Employers
Review & update your leave policies
Prepare your payroll & HR teams
Clearly communicate changes to employees
HR Advantage is here to help your business — big or small — stay compliant and prepared.
Source:HOUSE.MO.GOV
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Compensation Cost Growth Higher Than Expected in Second Quarter
Feeling the squeeze between rising wages and tight budgets? You’re not alone.
Wages grew a bit more than expected in Q2 2025, with overall compensation up 0.9%. Pay went up 1%, and benefits rose 0.7%. Over the past year, total comp is up 3.5%. That said, wage growth is cooling off. Many companies are pulling back on big raises and focusing more on staying steady during uncertain times. A Mercer report showed average raises were a little lower than what employers had planned.
Another survey from WTW found most companies aren’t increasing salary budgets much—some are even cutting back. Health care costs are also rising fast, which adds more pressure.
Simply Put: Employers want to stay competitive with pay, but they’re being more cautious with spending.
Source:SHRM
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Half of Employers Plan to Shift Health Care Costs to Employees
A recent survey shows that 51% of large U.S. employers plan to increase the share of health care costs paid by employees in 2026—up from 45% last year.
Why? Rising health care expenses, especially costly specialty drugs like GLP-1 treatments, along with inflation and labor shortages, are putting pressure on employer-sponsored plans.
What employees can expect:
- Higher premiums and deductibles
- Changes to coverage options
- More focus on preventive care and wellness programs
For employers:
- Review and adjust health plans as needed
- Communicate changes clearly to employees
- Explore cost-saving solutions that support employee health
Balancing costs while offering competitive benefits will be key as employers face these challenges.
Source: SHRM
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Inflation held steady at 2.7% in July
In July, core inflation increased while the annual headline inflation rate remained steady, matching June’s pace. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.2% for the month and was up 2.7% over the past 12 months—slightly below economists’ 2.8% forecast.
Core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices due to their volatility, rose 0.3% in July and reached 3.1% annually, up from 2.9% in June.
Though inflation continues to be a concern, its rate of growth has slowed compared to recent years. New tariffs on imports may contribute to upward pressure on prices in the near future.
Real earnings showed modest improvement in July, with real average hourly earnings increasing 0.1% from June. This reflects a 0.3% rise in average hourly wages combined with a 0.2% increase in the CPI. Real average weekly earnings rose 0.4%, supported by a slight increase in the average workweek.
What This Means for Employers:
With inflation and trade policies evolving, it’s important for employers and HR leaders to monitor these trends closely. Understanding how these factors affect wages and costs can help organizations stay prepared and responsive in a changing economic environment.
Source:SHRM
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HRA's Question of the Week! 🤔
One of our team members sprained their wrist while lifting a heavy box at work. We offered medical care, but they chose not to pursue treatment. Should we still have them complete an accident report?
Answer:
Absolutely. Even if the employee opts out of medical treatment, it’s essential to document the incident thoroughly. Maintaining clear records of workplace incidents—whether related to safety, behavior, or performance—is critical to addressing issues effectively.
In this situation, the sprain highlights a potential risk with manual handling that should be reviewed. Having the incident documented creates accountability and supports prompt action to prevent similar injuries in the future.
(More questions you need answered? HR Advantage can help you get it right!)
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HRA is Celebrating 20 Years in Business!
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We’re proud to be celebrating 20 years in business, partnering with hardworking teams like yours to navigate change, grow stronger, and stay compliant every step of the way!
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HRA Employee Spotlight
🌟Meet Seth Bunn🌟
Meet Seth, our Recruitment Advisor! He values the camaraderie and support of the HR Advantage team—and loves the flexibility that remote work provides.
His advice?
"Never stop learning, especially from your mistakes." Wise words for both work and life!
Fun Facts About Him👇
🍽️ Favorite local spot? Metropolitan Grill
🎒 He’s been backpacking in the Himalayan Mountains!
🍿 Favorite snack? Popcorn and Peanut M&M’s—sweet and salty perfection.
📺 Favorite show? The Office.
✈️ Dream destination? Ireland!
🍴 If he could have dinner with anyone, it’d be Gordon Ramsay—hopefully, he wouldn’t yell too much!
Seth is passionate about recruitment strategies, workforce development, and improving the time-to-fill conversion rate for hiring. His expertise helps businesses build strong teams, and we’re lucky to have him on ours!
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Recruitment Services
tailored to your needs...
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Our team offers knowledge on effective recruitment strategies.
We are here to step in when time and resources to recruit internally are scarce.
If you're struggling to find great candidates for that critical role, let our expert team help...
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Executive Recruitment
Leave top talent recruitment in the hands of seasoned experts who will conduct a full-scale, comprehensive search to deliver the best match for your company.
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Recruitment Support
The beginning stages of a candidate search can be the most tedious and time-consuming. Let our team support your efforts with posting, monitoring and pre-screening activities.
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Candidate Profiles
HR Advantage takes the time to source and screen active candidates in advance to simplify the recruitment process for employers. Preview some of our featured candidates on our website!
| | Let our expert recruiters help you attract and hire your next quality employee. Contact us today for more information! | | |
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