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Laws which you are
now required to follow |
15: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination in human resources practices against disabled individuals who are otherwise qualified to work or to be hired for a job. Employers are also required by the law to make "reasonable accomodations" for disabled individuals in the workplace. For more details, visit the website of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-ada.html
15: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (also known as "Title VII"). Title VII makes it illegal for employers to make decisions related to hiring and firing, compensation, and terms, conditions, and privileges of employment which are discriminatory based on an individual's race, color, religion, gender, or national origin. A detailed summary detailing the passage of the Act, its subsequent alterations, and the birth of the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) can be found at: http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/civil_rights_act/civil_rights_act.html
15: The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. A subsequent amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, this legislation states that companies cannot refuse to hire a pregnant woman if she can fulfill the requirements of the job. Also, a pregnant woman must be allowed to continue working for as long as she is able to carry out her job responsibilities. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has a good synopsis on its website: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-preg.html
15: The Vermont Parental and Family Leave Act (VPFL) -- Part Two. At fifteen employees, the second half of VPFL requires Vermont employers to allow for up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave for employees to address serious illnesses of their parent, parent-in-law, spouse, child, or even their own medical issues. A list of frequently asked questions can be found on the Vermont Department of Human Resources website: http://www.state.vt.us/labind/Wagehour/fleave.htm
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Topics to think about
as you keep growing |
16/17: Vacation time. Another key benefit that people seek when looking for jobs is vacation time. Ideally, an organization would prefer to have everyone in the office at the same time -- missing a person for a week can be critical for a small business, and reduces everyone's productivity. Of course, employees would like to receive several weeks of vacation annually. Try to strike a balance that works for both your organization and the type of people you are recruiting. Beyond figuring out just how much time to offer, here is a site that details more specifics of how vacation time can be taken by employees: http://www.gottrouble.com/legal/business/vacation.html
18/19: Employer-sponsored health insurance. One of the key benefits that employees value is health insurance; however, the common perception is that small businesses have a very difficult time finding an affordable health insurance package. While smaller organizations indeed do not have the purchasing leverage of major corporations, new techniques such as co-operative efforts (where small businesses band together to secure coverage) are evolving. Health insurance is regulated and offered at the state level, so the rules of the game vary by state. Here is a good overall view on how some small businesses are getting insurance: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,289264,00.html
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