Press Release: Courier News, Friday, September 4, 2009.
Complete Personnel Services, Inc. (CPS) assists Somerset County United Way with 'Stuff the Bus' Drive.
CPS, located in Somerville, helped collect and organize items for the Stuff The Bus drive. The drive consisted of sorting and organizing thousands of school supplies which will be donated to children in need throughout Somerset County.
Kim Rathyen, Marketing Coordinator at CPS states: "I was very excited to see how much stuff there was and that was only on the first day of drop-off! It was a lot of work. It was a very good thing there were so many helping hands."
A total count of 39,807 school supplies was collected. The estimated value of the items was $77, 213. There were 97 participants in the collection efforts. 39 schools were able to receive supplies from the drive. This will go to the 5,600 children who are on the Reduced & Free Lunch programs throughout Somerset County schools.
Joe Scarbaci, owner of CPS, would like to say thank you to the businesses of Somerset County that helped us contribute to the efforts. "Thank you Oticon, The Courier News, and B & R Computers for your generous donations. We are proud to be working with professionals who make time and effort to contribute to the community in which we live. All of your donations will make a huge difference in the lives of these children."
How can your business utilize cost-effective marketing?
A companies ability to survive or do well in this recession may depend heavily on a company's ability to market effectively.
How is Marketing defined?
The Chartered Institute of Marketing defines marketing as "The management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirement profitability." Marketing is a highly complex, multi-dimensional task that is essential to the growth and stability of a company. It can take many forms. While many companies have relied on a consistant database of clients or customers, it may now be necessary to utilize marketing to reach out for new business.
Kim Rathyen, Marketing Coordinator at CPS, states: "Your marketing approach should be very well-rounded. In this economy it is important to be open-minded to trying new things."
But what about the cost?
Making the room in your budget for a marketing plan can be difficult in this economy. However, without consistent presence, your company may risk a drastic decrease in revenue."
There are many ways to create a cost-effective marketing plan. Technology has really helped to make this possible. There are plenty of online opportunities via networking sites such as 'Linked-In' or the less formal, but highly popular site 'Facebook.' Also, e-mails, social-networking events, and community involvement are all great ways to reach out and increase presence at a low cost.
How can you market effectively?
As marketing can be very time consuming, it is essential to do your research. The Chamber of Commerce, The New Jersey DOL, which provides information on which industries are doing well, and many other search engines, can provide you with the information you need to plan your target industries. The more you know, the better you can pin-point the companies you need to market to. This wil drastically help to decrease your chances of wasting your time, resources and money.
Don't have the time to do Marketing?
Marketing requires a lot of planning and a good marketing plan can take a lot of time and energy to carry out. Assigning the task to a specific individual can help keep things organized and more efficient. Also, it is never a good idea to have marketing take away from another employee's job. For example, incorporating marketing into the customer service representative's duties will distract from the equally important role of maintaing customer satisfaction.
How can you incorporate marketing without hiring a new, full-time employee?
CPS can provide you with an experienced marketing representative.
Becoming more than just a brand.
Carol White of Frugal Marketing states: "Advertising and marketing gurus tell us that it takes multiple impressions of a message to get potential buyers to make that buying decision" Seven is the lucky number. Therefore, find as many ways as you can to get your brand out there.
What is the next step?
While brand recognition is important, it is not enough alone. There must be a strong message behind your brand. You must always be able to answer the question of how you are going to solve your cusomer's problems. If your solution is tied to an emotion and personal solution, you are on the right track.
From a CPS standpoint, providing someone with a temporary worker to help get the job done can provide a business owner with a lot more time. This means less stress and more time to spend with family. Always remember, your marketing relationship will be with an individual, not a company as a whole.
Once you have received the attention of the buyer, it is important to build trust and relationships. One great way to do this is through community involvement. Mary Bellis. of 'About.com,' claims: "People tend to be more supportive of businesses and organizations that give something to the community, rather than those that just take, never giving in return."
Press Release: Courier News, Friday, July 24th, 2009.
Complete Personnel Services, Inc. (CPS) located in Somerville, will be assisting The Somerset County United Way with its "Stuff the Bus" program drive. The purpose of this drive is to collect school supply items for children of low-income families throughout Somerset County. The items will be donated to agencies throughout Somerset County that serve low-income families and to children who are on the Free and Reduced Lunch Programs at local elementary schools.
New school items to be collected are backpacks, notebooks, binders, calculators, crayons, pens, pencils, rulers, pocket folders, personal hygiene products, shoe gift cards, etc.
CPS will be offering a drop-off date in order to assist in the drive. You may drop your items off at our office Wednesday, August 5th from the hours of 9-4. CPS is located at 10 North Gaston Avenue, Somerville on the second floor of the building. Joe Scarbaci, president of CPS, feels that "This is a great way to help out the children of our community. We are happy to help provide them with the suppies they will need to learn." CPS will be donating several items such as pens, highlighters, binders and bags to assist in the positive efforts. _______________________________________________________
Newsletter: July, 2009. Topic: What's the latest with Unemployment rates?
What's the latest with Unemployment rates?
According to the DOL, New Jersey's unemployment rate was 8.8 percent. The current New Jersey Unemployment rate is 9.2 percent. While it is no doubt increasing, the June rate was the smallest increase in 16 months.
What Industries are doing well and hiring despite the current economy?
Jobs are increasing in heavy civil engineering construction mostly due to infrastructure projects. New Jersey will be investing state and federal resources in needed infrastructure upgrades. The implementation of these projects will help generate jobs for our citizens and may help the economy recover from the global economic recession.
According to newjerseynewsroom.com, jobs increased in education and health services. The advance in trade, transportation and utilities led to hiring in transportation and warehousing.
How does New Jersey compare to the national unemployment rate?
The Federal Reserve predicts that the unemployment rate wil top 10 percent. The national unemployment rate rose to 9.5 percent in June of 2009. a 26 year high. The Federal Reserve also estimates that the economy will shrink between 1 and 1.5 percent this year, which is an increase from the May prediciton of 1.3 and 2 percent.
When can we expect an upturn?
According to the Federal Reserve, the economy should start recovering in the second half of this year.
How can you keep your business running and still stay within your budget?
If your budgetary planninghas shown that there is no room for a full-time hire, CPS may be able to help. We can do so by providing your company with a temporary worker. The benefit to you is that there is no obligation to this worker, you can hire them only when you have a heavy workload, and any unemployment claims will be covered by CPS.
What can you do to survive in the meantime?
A companies ability to survive or do well in this recession may depend heavily on a company's ability to market effectively.
Marketing is a highly complex, multi-dimensional task that is essential to the growth and stability of a company. While many companies may have relied on a consistent database of clients or customers, it may now be necessary to utilize marketing to reach out for new business.
Kim Rathyen, Marketing Coordinator at CPS, states: "Your marketing approach should be very well-rounded. In this economy it is important to be open-minded to trying new things and going out of your comfort zone. When applicable, research and target the industries that are thriving."
But what about the cost?
Making the room in your budget for a marketing plan can be difficult now. However, without consistant company presence, your company may risk a drastic decrease in revenue.
There are many ways to market for free. Technology has really helped to make this possible. There are plenty of online opportunities via networking sites such as "Linked-In." Also, e-mails, social-networking events, and community involvement are all great ways to reach out and increase presence at a low cost. ______________________________________________________
Newsletter: June 16th, 2009 Topic: Minimum Wage Increase: Effective July 24th, 2009.
What is the rate of the Federal Minimum Wage Increase and what is the current wage?
Since July 24, 2008, the Federal Minimum Wage was $6.55 per hour. As of July 24, 2009, the Federal Minimum Wage will increase to $7.25 per hour.
How is it changing?
Minimum Wage does not automatically increase every year. Congress must pass a bill which the President signs into law in order for the Minimum Wage to go up. The last Bill was for a 3-step increase: $5.85 in summer of 2007, $6.85 in summer of 2008, $7.25 in summer of 2009. This was the first increase in the Federal Minimum Wage in a decade. States first began to pass Minimum Wage laws in the early 1900s mailny to protect low-wage , female employees. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 was then created. It's ammendment has now started the process of Minimum Wage increases which continues to protect employees.
Why is Minimum Wage increasing?
The intention and goal behind the Minimum Wage increase is to assist workers living at or below the poverty line. Minimum Wage will rise due to CPI, Federal Wage increase or cost-of-living accomodation.
What is the poverty line?
In the United States, the 2009 Federal Poverty Guidelines have been released to the Federal Register. These guidelines help determine eligibility for many programs that assist lower-income familes.
For one person, the poverty line is $10, 830. Two people in a family: $14, 570. Three people in a family: $18,310 and for a family of eight, the poverty line is $37,010.
What about New Jersey Minimum Wage?
State Minimum Wages may vary. However, employers are required to pay whichever rate is higher. New Jersey's Minimum Wage is currently $7.15. It will increase to match that of the Federal Minimum Wage rate of $7.25 on July 24, 2009.
What are the advantages and disadvantages to the Minimum Wage increase?
There are many differing opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of the Federal Minimum Wage increase.
Potential Advantages:
Potential advantages to the Minimum Wage incease include a higher income level for individuals who are at or below the poverty line. In terms of the overall economy, as individuals have more money and are spending more, the economy may be positively impacted.
Potential Disadvantages:
Potential disadvantages to the Minimum Wage increase include a higher unemployment rate. If businesses cannot afford to pay their employees more, it is possible that employers may need to cut hours or layoff employees. Businesses may also feel pressure to raise consumer prices as they must find a way to afford to pay employees at a higher wage.
CPS will not be raising our rates due to the Minimum Wage increase. CPS alwas has and will continue to pay our employees above the Minimum Wage in an effort to provide our clients with more highly qualified employees.
Newsletter: May 2009. Topic: CPS Prom Dress Success!
Over the past few weeks, CPS employees assisted Somerset County United Way with the Prom Dress Drive. Also referred to as "Say Yes to the Prom Dress," the event was a great success! CPS collected over 40 dresses adding to a total of over 150 dresses! We also collected tons of beautiful make-up, some shoes and quite a few accesories. Kim Rathyen, Marketing Coordinator at CPS states: "I was so impressed to see how generous and enthusiastic people were to help. We received many more dresses than I expected!"
On May 4th, Kim drove to Oticon, Inc. in Somerset. Maureen Alicino, Human Resource Director, said she had dresses and some accesories to donate. "When I got there, she had a lot of dresses. They had even purchased dresses from Cache! I was blown away by their generosity. We are very proud to work with such generous people." Maureen was very grateful to be able to help with such an event. "We are always happy to do our part in the community to help others. I am sure the young ladies will look absolutely beautiful on their big night out."
Celeste Glynn, Corporate Secretary at Ohara Corporation, in Somerville, NJ, states: "We were very excited to receive the e-mail from CPS regarding the Prom Dress Drive. We had several dresses to donate and we were very happy to do so for such a worthwhile cause."
Christine Gaspar, manager at The NIA Group, LLC, in Somerset, stopped by with her donations. Christine had several beautiful dresses to donate as well as some great make-up! Christine felt that "it was rewarding and fun to solicit contributions for this important event...and reminiscent as well!"
May 14th was the official day to distribute the collected dresses to the teenagers of Bound Brook High School. Kim Rathyen, Joe Scarbaci (President of CPS) and daughter Alison loaded up their cars and drove to Middle Earth in Bound Brook where the dress drive was held. Kim and Alison agree: " Setting up was a lot of fun. We had a blast going through all the dresses, organizing by size, and we were very excited to see that there was a good range of sizes to meet the girls' needs."
Dress-Up Day Was a Big Hit!
Liliana Barreiro, Somerset County United Way Account Executive, stated that: "We had 14 happy girls, most of which left with their entire package of dress, purse, shoes, make-up, necklace, earrings, pocket mirror, perfume and a shawl."
Yeni Pena, project coordinator, recalls a very uplifting quote by one of the girls who attended the event: "It's so hard for me to find a dress. Now I found one! My mom will be so happy that I found a nice dress and she doesn't have to pay."
Bound Brook High School counselor, J.Kinney, told Yeni: "I just had a student in my office and she is completely ecstatic about her dress! She wants more events to wear it to. This is the girl who as of last week, wasn't even going to the prom!"
An attendee told Yeni before leaving: "I am so happy, thank you for everything!"
CPS would like to say thank you to those of you who contributed. The girls were very touched by your generosity. We would like to invite you to assist us again in August, as we will be collecting new school supplies for students in need. We will keep you posted on this upcoming event!"
Press Release: Courier News: April 24th, 2009. Topic: CPS assists in United way Prom Dress Drive.
Complete Personnel Services, Inc. (CPS) in Somerville, will be assisting The Somerset County United Way in their Prom Dress Drive. Items to be collected are dresses, shoes, purses, jewlery and unused make-up. All items must be in very good condition. The collected items will be distributed to those who may not be able to afford a dress and accesories for their prom in May. Donated prom items can be dropped off at the CPS office at 10 North Gaston Avenue, 2nd Floor, in Somerville, from 9am-4pm on May 6th.
CPS Marketing Coordinator, Kim Rathyen, will be in charge of collecting the dresses and will also be assisting in the distribution on May 16th. President of CPS, Joe Scarbaci states: "This is a fun and creative way to help the young people of our community enjoy a special time in their lives."
The consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) has been modified by The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Those who qualify will get the opportunity to pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to a coverage provider through a tax credit. The changes apply to health coverage that begins on February 17, 2009 and will continue for up to nine months for those eligible for COBRA during the period of September 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 2009.
What is the purpose of COBRA?
The purpose of COBRA is to uphold the law that group health plans must provide employees and their families with the opportunity to continue their group health coverage. Under certain conditions, this applies when coverage would otherwise be lost due to termination of employment, a divorce or death.
Who Qualifies for the Subsidy?
In order to qualify for the subsidy, an individual must meet all of the following requirements:
1) Individual must be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage at any time during the period beginning September 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 2009.
2) COBRA must be elected when first offered or during the additional election period.
3) Individual must have been involuntarily terminated during the period beginning September 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 2009.
The deadlines is soon approaching for the plan administrators of group healthcare to provide their employees with a notice of an additional COBRA election. This notice must explain that the employees may be able to take advantage of the new COBRA subsidy program.
Important Information About Notice:
1) Employers must provide a notice by April 18, 2009.
2) The notice must be made available to any assistance elegibe individual.
3) The Department of Labor has created a model notice called "Notice in Connection with Extended Periods."
This Example can be found on the website: www.dol.gov.
For more information on COBRA rules, regulations and frequently asked questions, please visit www.dol.gov/cobra.
CPS is happy to provide our clients with information that is important and necessary in regards to employment laws. We hope you have benefited from this information.
Newsletter: March 2009. Topics: CPS Supports Somerset County United Way.
United Way offers help for your employees in need.
Somerset County United Way offers many services to those in need. These services are offered to individuals who are unable to afford these necessities. Somerset County United Way is committed to improving the lives of all Somerset County residents.
Free Tax Prep Advice:
One of the many programs offered is CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope). This program offers free tax assistance to working, low-wage earning families and individuals to help save money and claim Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits they qualify to receive. In 2008, the average total refund per family was $1,700 with savings up to $300 in preparer fees. For more information on the free tax preparation program, please contact Irene Natale at (908) 253-6511 or e-mail at Irene.natale@scuw.org.
Charitable Drives:
Somerset County United Way also runs "Gifts of the Season," which is an annual gift drive which also increases financial stability by reducing pressures on low-income families during the holiday season. United Way's "Wrapped in Love" also assists families in need during winter months. Other drives include "Baby Bundles," which provides baby supplies for lower-income new parents, "Stuff the Bus," which provides school-age children with necessary school supplies. For more information on these programs and many others that United Way has to offer, please visit www.scuw.org.
Prescription Discounts:
Another great way that United Way helps Somerset County residents is by providing presciption savings cards for those individuals who may not have health insurance or who do not have proper coverage with their current plan. United Way provides those in need with both a "Family Wise" prescription card and a "Together Rx" prescription savings card. To receive a card, please contact Jim Rude at (908) 253-6515 or e-mail him at jim.rude@scuw.org.
United Way's vision is to ensure that all residents possess a living income. Together, united, we can inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow. Give. Advocate. Volunteer. That's what it means to LIVE UNITED.
Somerset County United Way Needs Your Help.
Somerset County is one of the most expensive places in the country to live. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that at least 10% of families in Somerset County earn less than the self-sufficiency income. It is believed that this number is apporaching 20%.
Considering this, United Way is always in need of dedicated volunteers looking to make a significant difference in their community. Any donation to United Way stays local in our community. There are many ways to get involved and make a great impact on your community.
GIVE: Run a United Way campaign, giving employees a chance to contribute to the community and/or make a corporate gift.
ADVOCATE: Share how you LIVE UNITED, by referring a company to work with United Way, encourage a friend, family member, or colleague to get involved, or simply speak up for what you perceive as the needs in our community.
VOLUNTEER: Join a United Way committee, participate in a volunteer project, offer a half day to your employees to volunteer or conduct a school supply drive (July).
For more information on any of the above, or for more ideas on how you can get involved, please contact Jim Rude at jim.rude@scuw.org (908) 253-6515.
LIVE UNITED. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Release: Courier News: February 13, 2009. Topic: CPS is now E-Verify Certified!
What is E-Verify?
E-Verify is an online Employment Eligibility Verification Program. It is operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as well as the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify that new employees are eligible for hire and legally permitted to work in the USA.
Joe Scarbaci, President of Complete Personnel Services in Somerville, NJ, stated, "In our 24 years of providing quality employment services to our clients we have always been diligent in the employment eligibility process. The E-Verify process will now make us even more efficient in our efforts."
Why E-Verify?
E-Verify is the most accurate means available for determining the employment eligibility of new employees and their Social Security Numbers. It is quick, accuarate and relaiable system which allows employers to confirm the legal working status of new employees in a short period of time. It is especially important, because e-verify can help eliminate unauthorized employment as well as minimize verification-related discrimination. It also protects civil liberties and employee privacy.
*CPS uses E-verify as an added means of ensuring that all of our candidates are fully eligible for hire.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter: February 2009. Topic: Applicant Overload?
The Good and Bad of On-line Resumes.
In this day and age, technology and the internet are slowly replacing the need for hard-copy resumes. Statistics clearly show that employers prefer to have resumes sent to them on-line. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) conducted a survey. The results showed that "47.8 percent prefer to have resumes submitted electronically through their website, while another 42.1 percent favor receiving resumes via e-mail. Just 8.2 percent of the respondents prefer to receive hard-copies of resumes, while 1.9 percent like to receive resumes by other means."
Employers see the positives behind electronically submitted resumes to be mainly in the convenience. The on-line method prevents lost papers and easily allows employers to organize these electronic resumes in a database. For many, finding the right candidate may be as easy as entering a few key words to pull up an applicant with a specific list of skill sets. Although this method has become increasingly popular, there is no denying that it blocks out a once more personal, face to face approach to recruiting employees. Applying online for a job is much too impersonal for some applicants and others lack the the patience and trust to deal with it at all. NACE further states: "College students have less regard for widely used electronic tools than recruitment professionals might believe." In addition, providing an option for online application prevents any necessary initial screening process. A recruiter or employer risks having hundreds, if not thousands of resumes and applications to sort through. The result is an increase in the already pricey cost of an online job posting due to the amount of time spent in filtering through the sea of resumes. Desperate for jobs in this economy, it is highly likely that more and more applicants will take their chances, in applying for a job, for which they do not qualify. The listed years of experience required may be ignored. Worse yet, in their desperation, applicants may 'dress-up' their resumes and claim to have skill-sets, such as computer knowledge, that they know little or nothing about.
Top Recruiter, Tom Mayrant of CPS stated: "The more people we have looking for work the more I realize how bogged down employers must be with on-line job postings. I can't even imagine having to filter through all of those potentially falsified resumes. "Having met with and dealt with many applicants in his years of experience, Tom Mayrant expressed his concern for the Human Resource Manager: "I have seen more fake IDs, false Social Security cards and jazzed up resumes than I would like to admit." Unfortunately, in desperate times, people will do whatever it takes to find work, it takes a sharp eye and years of experience to know how to keep from being fooled by such applicants.
How can You Prevent Drowning in a Sea of Resumes?
A higher unemployment rate does not necessarily make the recruitment process easier. Although the chances of finding great candidates may increase due to the vast amount of people applying, the process of filtering through all of these applicants could be comparable to finding a needle in a haystack.
How can you prevent becoming completely overwhelming by too many resumes? Pre-qualifying candiates is the answer! The key is to filter out the bad candidates from the good before you spend time interviewing applicants. Spending time interviewing candidates that potentially have falsified resumes, fake IDs/Social Security cards or are not verified for work becomes a major waste of time.
Unfortunately, on-line job-postings do not offer any option to pre-qualify people. The highly-trained staff at CPS specializes in pre-qualifying all candidates prior to setting up an interview with you. We do this by conducting thorough employment verification checks, pre-screening, thoroughly interviewing potential candidates, and skill testing.
CPS is a certified E-verify agency. E-verify is one of the most reliable means of verifying employment eleigibility. CPS offers all of these services to employers at NO COST.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Press Release: Courier News: January 16, 2009. Topic: CPS Expands Admin Services for Central New Jersey.
Complete Personnel Services, Inc., a leader in job placement for over twenty-four years in Central New Jersey, has recently expanded recruiting and placement services for Administrative and Clerical positions with the creation of CPS-Admin.
Joe Scarbaci, president and founder of CPS, states, "Clients have always looked to us for quality service in the area of industrial and technical candidates. In the last few years, we have seen an increased growth in administrative and clerical requests and we have responded with great success. Our new division, CPS-Admin, has added management and recruiting associates with strong backgrounds in business management and marketing to continue to grow this effort."
CPS-Admin is located at the Complete Personnel Services, Inc. headquarters at 10 North Gaston Avenue in Somerville. Candidates and client companies shoud call 908-704-1551 for more information.
As of February 2, 2009, The department of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will require that employers use the newly adjusted I-9 form. The purpose of the new form is to improve the validity of the employment authorization process.
The new I-9 Form can be obtained in the Federal Register 45 days after publication. The form can be downloaded from www.uscis.gov or paper versions can be ordered by calling 1-800-870-3676. Also available through the federal register is the Handbook for Employers, Instructions for Completing the Form 1-9 (M-274). This handbook will be revised according to the rules and regulations of the new form and will be available on the website as well.
What are the rules in regards to the new form?
Employers are not allowed to accept any of the old forms that will be omitted with the new I-9 form. If an employee must be reverified due to expired employment authorization, employers must be sure they use the new I-9 form. Employers are not allowed to use the old form, even if it was used for the initial employment verification. Although the list of acceptable documents will change, the form will be completed in the same way as before.
Employers must use the new form 45 days after it is published through the federal register. Employers who do not make the switch and continue to use the old form, will be subject to civil money penalities. It will not be necessary for employers to complete the new I-9 forms for existing employees unless they require reverification.
Who must use the new form?
Any and all employers, agricultural recruiters, and referrers for a fee are required to take proper steps in order to confim the identity and employment authorization of each person they hire for employment in the United States. For further information on the changes to the form, please see below.
What will be removed and what will be added?
Three documents will be removed from the list of documents acceptable for employment authorization. These include: Forms I-688 (Temporary Resident Card), I-688A (Employment Authorization Card) and I-688B (Employment Authorization Card). The new I-9 will add two new documents. These include a temporary I-551 printed with a specific computer-readable immigrant visa. List A will also allow for valid passports for citizens of the Federal States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands to be used as proof of proper identity and employment verification.
The most important change to the new form will be that employers will be required to accept only unexpired documents for verification. The department of Homeland Security wants to be sure the documents employers are accepting are both valid and portray proper identity and employment authorization. There is too much risk with the chance of expired documents not being legitimate, because they are susceptible to meddling and counterfeit use.
CPS takes the employment verification process very seriously and prides itself on only providing temporary candidates that are legally permited to work in the United States.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter: December 2008. Topic: Family Leave Insurance
What should you as the employer know?
The NJ department of Labor and Workforce Development has recently finalized the details in accordance to the Family Leave Insurance Act. Employees will not be able to receive any compensation from the Insurance Act until July of 2009. However, the state of New Jersey will be deducting .009% (up to $26.01 per year) from employees paycheck starting in January of 2009 in order to fund the newly enacted law. As of now, the insurance plan is 100% employee funded.
Employees who are covered under the NJ Unemployment Compensation Law, government entities included, will be covered by the Act. Empoyees will be able to take up to 6 weeks off over a 12-month period in order to take care of a family member or domestic partner who is incapable of caring for oneself. Employees may also file a claim to receive compensation for time spent bonding with a newborn or adopted child. Employees will receive 2/3 their usual wages: a maximum of $546 per year for claims filed July, 2009. The taxable wage is based on $28, 900 and wages will rise each year in order to meet the increasing cost of living.
How can you protect your business from lost productivity?
Many employers are concerned about the newly enacted Family Leave Insurance. The idea of employees receiving paid compensation for time off may seem threatening as many employers feel concerned about rising employee absences.
Although this is a valid concern, employers must also relize that it is inevitable that employees with families may need to take significant time off for their sick loves ones at some point. This may not be preventable. Therefore, the question arises: How can you, as an employer, protect yourself from lost productivity in the workplace?
A major benefit of The Family Leave Insurance Act is that it does allow you the option of paying a part-time or temporary worker as opposed to paying salary to an absent employee. This way your money is not wasted and efficiency within yor company is not jeoporadized!
If you are a small owner, this is especially beneficial to you, because you can provide better support to your employees that may not have been possible before: benefits that may result in a major competition between your firm and larger companies.
Please keep CPS in mind if you should run into a situation where your employee should evoke the Family Leave Act. CPS offers temporary, temp to hire and direct hire positions. If your employee's position needs temporary filling and/or if they are unable to return, CPS can help you find a qualified replacement. Especially at a time when someone gets sick, and there is not much prior notice, CPS is there to help with that last-minute placement. We have many qualified canidates available for immediate hire. We would be more than happy to assist you in filling a position!