Pub. 1 2018-2019 Issue 2

Employees terminated for not meeting the employer’s per- formance standards pose a similar problem. Documenting your company’s training efforts (and having employees sign an attendance roster for each training they attend) is an effec- tive way to counter a potential claim that an employee didn’t receive proper instructions on how to do the job. 4. Take consistent (documented) disciplinary action Consistency and documentation are both key when it comes to disciplinary action (up to and including termination). Keep accurate records of any policy violations or bad behavior, and have employees acknowledge warnings and write-ups so you have a record showing terminated employees were reminded of expectations and the consequences for failing tomeet them. 5. Hire carefully High employee turnover can have a huge impact on your UI rate, so hiringpeoplewho are likely to stick around and succeed at the work is crucial. That said, if it does become apparent that a newhire isn’t a good fit, terminating them sooner rather than later can minimize the impact on your UI rate. 6. Always respond to claims and audits When investigating claims, the unemployment office is looking for whether the claimant was culpable, had knowledge of the expectations and whether the circumstances leading to ter- mination were in their control, so make sure to address all three of these items when reporting the reason for termi- nation. Similarly, always check wage audits for accuracy and respond on time to avoid overpayments. 7. Use your right to appeal If you disagree with the state agency’s decision to grant UI benefits, don’t forget that you can appeal it. The burden will be on your company to prove that the claimant doesn’t qualify for benefits, however, so make sure to line up witnesses with first-hand knowledge of the situation for the hearing. 8. Seek expert help If your company is struggling tomanage its UI claims or costs, don’t be afraid to seek out the help of experts in your own HR department, a UI management service, or a professional employer organization (PEO). Partnering with a PEO, in par- ticular, can be especially beneficial as your company may be able to take advantage of the PEO’s low UI rate to minimize its UI costs. 3 Sean O’Donnell is a credentialed HR expert withnearly 15 years of expe- rience across all dimensions of human resources management. In his current role as the HRManager for G&A Partners, a national professional employer organization (PEO) andHRoutsourcing firm, Seanoversees the delivery of HR compliance, UI and employeemanagement services for the firm’s clients in the West region. Imagine what your business could achieve if it were free from the hassles of HR, benefits and payroll. As a leading HR service provider, G&A Partners specializes in helping businesses like yours more efficiently manage their human resources and administrative functions by giving them access to a team of HR, benefits and payroll experts, all for about the same cost of hiring one full-time employee. Whether you need full-service HR support or help in a few key areas, G&A Partners provides the people, processes and technology your business needs. Learn more about how G&A Partners can help you grow your business, take better care of your employees and enjoy a higher quality of life. gnapartners.com 801.436.5206 HR Services Benefits Payroll 27