PEO PL E MA NA G EME N T
Best Practices in People Management
How to comply with labor laws when you don't have a full-time human resources manager BY S T EP HEN B E N NE T T
practices" for people manage- ment because they do not have a personnel manager on their payroll. Owners of smaller busi- nesses, including some fuel oil dealers, often just add the task of people management to their own responsibilities, said Laurie Glaude, a human resources con- sultant who specializes in help- ing small and mid-sized busi- nesses comply with state and federal labor regulations. "What happens is the owners
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of these small businesses have to balance all of these jobs and, by the way, execute their mission in order to make money," Glaude said. The risk is that some personnel matter will fall through the cracks and the company will unwittingly violate a labor regula- tion. In many cases, smaller employers can be exposed to the same degree of liability as larger companies, Glaude said, meaning they could be subject to penalties that include being ordered to pay back wages and fines. "They can be costly," Glaude said of the penalties. In broad terms, labor regulations are designed to deal with
discrimination, insurance, wages and worker safety, with nuances in each state, said Glaude, who owns Aurora Business Solutions, Laconia, N.H., and consults regularly with business owners in that state and in Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont. If hiring a human resources manager isn't feasible or practical,
owners of smaller businesses can take other steps to comply with labor regulations, Glaude said. For instance, owners can turn to regulators as a source of advice and guidance. While some opera- tors are reluctant to approach their state Department of Labor
18 NOVEMBER 2012 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com MALL AND MID-SIZED
businesses sometimes struggle to instill "best
(DOL), thinking they might draw unwanted scrutiny, Glaude advised, "Look at the DOL as a resource to help you be compliant. It's a great way to keep abreast of what's changing because things change constantly." The website of a state Department of Labor can be a source
of valuable information about regulations and regulatory changes, Glaude said. The New Hampshire Department of Labor website, for example, features text advising employees of their rights, which can be printed out and posted, as required, in the workplace. "Part of being an employer is making sure that you've done
your job as far as notifying your employees what their rights are and that's where posting requirements come in," Glaude said. A "top ten" list of violations posted on the New Hampshire
department's website serves as a useful reference for business owners in that state—and as an eye-opener, unfortunately, for some.
