October '18 HR To Do List

Monday, October 01, 2018
October is upon us! Now that we’re starting the 4th quarter, it’s all about Endurance.

Endurance is so important during this last part of the year! Not only are you staying strong in your business and meeting those year-end goals, but personally you’re enduring  and getting through the holidays. While they can be amazing times with family, and even magical if you have young kids, there’s no doubt that the 4th quarter is a stressful time of year!

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So plan ahead. Endure the 4th quarter with ease by making sure you’re ahead of the game: knowing what will help you personally and professionally, then putting that plan into action, will help your teams at work and at home!

Here’s a start to your HR list for October:

  • October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Will your company sponsor a Walk? Host a fundraising campaign? It’s not always about the monetary donations; sometimes awareness is all you need to raise. Statistics can be powerful – posting statistics helps to educate employees and can empower them to make a difference. Providing a support number or a way out can be even more powerful.  Remember to be cautious as an employer when talking about medical situations with employees!
  • Medicare Part D Disclosures are due on October 15th! Group health plan sponsors must disclose to individuals who are eligible for Medicare Part D and to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether the health plan’s prescription drug coverage is creditable. You can find sample disclosure notices on the CMS website.
  • Now is a good time to start the year-end review process with managers. Dust off your plans and processes around reviews, train managers on the process, and get them thinking about your time line for completion of the review process.
  • Are there any upcoming legal changes that will need to be incorporated into your handbook for 2019? You may not know all of them yet, but start paying attention so you can ready yourself for new laws taking effect in January.
  • If applicable, it’s also a good time to start making sure you’re ready for your ACA reporting. Is your payroll provider tracking this for you? Do you need to get ahead of it during 4th quarter so the actual reporting is a smooth process?
  • The holiday known as Columbus Day occurs in October, this year on the 8th. The Holiday has had some controversy surrounding it in recent years. Does your company take this day off? What do you call this day? How do you ensure you’re respectful of everyone on your team in offering the day off?
  • And of course, the big day in October, HALLOWEEN! Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year. Will you have an office party? Invite the kids in to Trick Or Treat at Mom or Dad’s office? Host a costume contest for employees? Think about how your company will celebrate responsibly and respect family time as well. Many offices send people home an hour or two early on Halloween to prepare for a fun-filled evening, and flex-time is often used by parents for Halloween parades and costume parties at school. Be sure your employees know your policies for these events!

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