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Leaders must do more than simply fill staffing gaps.  They need to build a strong team. Desperation hiring can cause long-term problems across the organization. When interviewing, focus on determining the candidate’s:

· Character – Does the candidate have the energy, passion, ethics and values to be effective in this role and an active member of the team?

· Capacity – Do they have the ability, experience, and understanding to perform the task of this role?

· Experience – Do their experiences and responsibilities in previous roles make them an ideal fit for the role and team?

· Skills – Consider the absolute minimum skills the candidate must have to survive in the role. Can the candidate fulfill the role during the time their education, certification and/or skills gap be developed?

Often companies start at #4 and move to #1 last.  It is important to consider that the best candidates may have more to offer than what a degree or a previous job title may indicate. It’s great to hire someone who can hit the ground running until their character damages relationships, loses customers and/or causes unforeseen costs.

High engagement during the OE event helps employees better understand their options and make informed decisions. Enhance your benefits communication to give your employees a better chance to make the most of their compensation.

1) Provide ample notice.

2) Use multiple forums. Annual benefits guide, FAQ document, step-by-step instructions, one-on-one support, seminars, email, texts and other technology.

3) Schedule seminars to explain the types of benefits, the positive features of each benefit, tiers and costs.

4) Utilize your broker for training, presentation development and on-call support.

5) Ensure the benefits guide speaks to those who least understand co-pays, FSAs, out of pocket maximums and other similar topics. Benefits and their terms are confusing when you only read about it once a year.

6) Track progress and follow up with those who haven’t enrolled.

Communication must be frequent, clear and concise to have a successful OE. Throughout the year, provide employees with reminders on how to use their benefits best, the features of the healthcare provider’s website and who to contact with claims issues. Your employees will better utilize their benefits and appreciate what you’ve done for their families.

E-Verify is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) free website for businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees, both U.S. and foreign citizens. The federal government made E-Verify mandatory for public employers and federal contractors, but since then several states made it a mandatory hiring step for all or most employers.

By law, all employers are required to complete an I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification Form) within the employee’s first three days of employment.  Then E-Verify compares information from the employee’s I-9 to data from U.S. government records, such as the Social Security Administration. If the information entered into the database matches the information and identification provided, then the employee is eligible to work in the U.S. If there’s a mismatch, E-Verify alerts the employer to resolve the mismatch within eight workdays.

E-Verify is required for all or most employers in AL, AZ, GA, FL, LA, MS, NC, SC & UT. Washington State has local or municipal laws requiring employers to use E-Verify.

E-Verify provides an additional layer of protection to ensure that your organization is hiring those eligible to work in the U.S. Using this database can also prevent fines and penalties. In the past two years, the number of administrative I-9 audits – where employers are asked to deliver their I-9 records to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within 72 hours for inspection – have seen a steady increase.

For your last immigration tip for the day, keep those I-9s separate from an employee’s personnel file. Those with access to a personnel file may not have a need-to-know of an employee’s citizenship status. We’re here to keep you compliant.