ClubPeople

Attract, Recruit, and Onboard New Hires with ease...

Studies show each year, nearly 25% of workers go through some type of career transition; particularly in the hospitality industry it's shown that most new hires decide whether to stay within the first six months on the job.  Replacing a talented employee can cost two times the worker’s salary and monetary value is only part of it, especially in a country club environment.  A failed hire impacts your whole team by increased workload, poor morale and overall job satisfaction. 

Saving "time" at your club...

What is the single biggest expense item in your club's budget? If you are like most clubs, your answer is labor and related expenses. For an average club, payroll, taxes and benefits combines to be 53% of total expenses. So, if your club is looking for ways to reduce expenses (and what club aren't these days), labor control is the first place you should look for savings. Plus, now more than ever, employers need control of employees' time and attendance data with flexible reporting to comply with increasing Labor Law changes and to ensure proper reporting on real-time hours to meet those requirements.

Employee training was once considered an optional benefit, an“extra” that only the most forward-looking employers provided to the most promising employees. Even now, when the economy turns downward, employee training is often the first to go, viewed not as an investment but as an expense to be disposed of in tough times. But today more and more employers understand that, far from being a frill, good employee training is necessary to a club's success and that an intelligent, well-trained workforce is central to worker productivity and well-being.  In fact in 2012, OSHA revised its hazard communication, or “worker right-to-know” standard, that requires employers to provide safety training and information to workers that are exposed to hazardous chemicals.

Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

The GHS revisions became law on May 25, 2012.

OSHA will allow employers a 4-year transition or phase-in period to comply with all of the new GHS requirements in the worker right-to-know rule. The first transition deadline will apply to safety training on chemical labels and SDSs for workers exposed to hazardous chemicals.

• By December 1, 2013 employers are required to train employees how to read and interpret chemical labels and safety data sheets in compliance with either:
• The pre-GHS hazard communication standard for labels and material safety data sheets (MSDSs); or
• The GHS revisions for new-style labels and SDSs;
• or both the pre-GHS hazard communication standard and GHS revisions at the same time

CLARE VAZQUEZ, HR BUSINESS PARTNER is in the Boca Raton, Florida office of CertiPay. A significant portion of her consulting practice is devoted to workplace risk management preventing OSHA citations, injuries and fatalities. She advises employers in OSHA recordkeeping, hazard assessment and self-audits, corporate-wide safety compliance, maintaining effective safety training and safety management programs, disciplining unsafe employees, inspection preparedness, workplace violence prevention, and health and wellness initiatives. She also prepares and reviews employee handbooks and policies, conducts manager and employee training, and provides consulting regarding hiring, termination, unemployment, wage and hour, harassment, discrimination, and other federal and state laws and regulations. For more information on CertiPay Payroll and Human Resource Services contact Clare at 561-281-4022 / email cvazquez@certipay.com

Would you like to learn how ClubPay can help your club stay compliant?

The newly revised Form I-9 (Rev. 03/08/13) should be used for club new hires; after May 7, 2013, all prior versions of Form I–9 can no longer be used by the public. 

Introduction of the Revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form 

March 15, 2013

Agency: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS

CHANGES TO FORM I-9

The newly revised Form I–9 makes several improvements designed to minimize errors in form completion. The key revisions to Form I–9 include:

• Adding data fields, including the employee’s foreign passport information (if applicable) and telephone and email addresses.

• Improving the form’s instructions.

• Revising the layout of the form, expanding the form from one to two pages (not including the form instructions and the List of Acceptable Documents). 

BACKGROUND

Employers and certain agricultural recruiters and referrers for a fee (referred to collectively as ‘‘employers’’) are required to verify on Employment Eligibility Verification form (Form I–9) the employment authorization and identity of each individual they hire (or recruit or refer for a fee if applicable), for employment in the United States.

Form I–9 contains three sections.

The purpose of Section 1 of the form is to collect, at the time of hire identifying information about the employee (and preparer or translator if used), and for the employee to attest to whether he or she is a U.S. citizen, noncitizen national, lawful permanent resident, or alien authorized to work in the United States. The employee must also present documentation for review evidencing his or her identity and authorization to engage in this employment.

The purpose of Section 2 of the form is to collect, within 3 business days of the employee’s hire, identifying information from the employer and information regarding the identity and employment authorization documentation presented by the employee and reviewed by the employer.

The purpose of Section 3 of the form is to collect information regarding the continued employment authorization of the employee. This section, if applicable, is completed at the time that the employee’s employment authorization and/or employment authorization documentation recorded in either Section 1 or Section 2 of the form expires. This section may also be used if the employee is rehired within 3 years of the date of the initial execution of the form and to record a name change if Section 3 is otherwise completed.

HOW LONG AM I REQUIRED TO KEEP THE I-9?

Employers are required to maintain Forms I–9 for as long as an individual works for the employer and for the required retention period for the termination of an individual’s employment [either 3 years after the date of hire or 1 year after the date employment ended, whichever is later].

WHEN DO I START USING THE I-9?

Employers should begin using Form I–9 with a revision date of ‘‘(Rev. 03/08/13). The revision date is located in the bottom right-hand corner of the form.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I CONTINUE TO USE THE OLD VERSION OF THE FORM I-9?

After May 7, 2013, all prior versions of Form I–9 can no longer be used by the public. The public can download the new Form I–9 at www.uscis.gov

After May 7, 2013, employers who fail to use Form I–9 (Rev. 03/08/13)N may be subject to all applicable penalties be particularly necessary for employers utilizing electronic Forms I–9. For these reasons, USCIS is providing employers 60 days to make necessary changes.

Note that employers do not need to complete the new Form I–9 (Rev. 03/08/13)N for current employees for whom there is already a properly completed Form I–9 on file, unless re-verification applies. Unnecessary verification may violate the anti-discrimination provision.

A Spanish-language version of the new Form I–9 is available at www.uscis.gov

for use in Puerto Rico only and may also be used for translation purposes.

For more information contact:

Since you are reading this post I can assume you have been affected by the buzz around social media and now it is no longer a buzz; social media is everywhere you look. Follow Us on Twitter, become a Fan on Facebook, even on local news or ESPN you are invited in to join their online community.  Does this seem familiar?  Lets’ think back to the late 1990’s early 2000 when the internet emerged to be a standard practice for businesses and remember weighing the benefits of starting a website against the fear of not knowing how to manage its risks.  Now having a website for business is a common place and is expected by the consumer when looking for a place to dine, vacation, golf, bank, etc… 

Social Media has made this same evolution at a much higher rate of speed due to the advancement in technology that allows easy access.  Here is my point, Social Media is becoming a common place for people to gather round and quickly closing the gap on being expected.  So the question is how do I use social media to benefit my club members and what policy do I need to have in place to manage its risks?

To help answer those questions I would like to share two articles with you specifically written to help country club management understand what members are seeking from social media and what type of club policy needs to be in place to help protect the club.

The first article is written by Scott Duke; Scott is a social media and web presence consultant who specializes in the business of golf.  I appreciate his opinion on the topic because he writes from a private club member’s point of view.  To answer the first question read: 4 Reasons Why Private Country Clubs Need Social Media

The second article was published last year in ClubPay’s eNewsletter and offers good advice on what needs to be considered when implementing a social media policy for your club employees.  To answer the second question read: Clubs Must Consider Implementing Social Media Policies

Share with us; what role will social media play at your club?

An essential element of any fire safety plan is the emergency evacuation drill, commonly called a fire drill.  Without making the effort to train and rehearse employees on their responsibilities and actions in case of fire or other emergency, the lives of many people – members, guests, and employees may be at risk.

The challenge for golf and country clubs is that the facility use patterns are very different for different parts of the club and for different times of the day and week.  The evacuation issues at the golf course maintenance facility or aquatics center are far different than the clubhouse; and a clubhouse evacuation on a Tuesday morning will have far different concerns than a busy Saturday night.

Add to this is the disruption of member service and enjoyment of their club by scheduling frequent evacuation drills or holding such drills when members are dining and guests are attending a large and expensive wedding.  Clearly, evacuation drills must be held, but they must be carefully planned and executed to provide full safety value with the minimum disruption to member and guest activities.  So what strategies would meet both requirements?  Here are some thoughts:

• Hold quarterly departmental evacuations drills for remote (non-clubhouse) facilities and activities such as aquatics, racquet center, golf course maintenance, and cart barn.  These will be scheduled by the department head in coordination with the club Safety Director or General Manager.  The time of the drill should be chosen based on greatest rehearsal impact for the largest number of employees with the least disruption to member service.

Schedule two types of quarterly clubhouse evacuation drills:

• Daytime – schedules drills for two quarters of the year will be for a weekday timeframe when all operating and administrative departments are functioning – again with the least disruption to members.
• Evening – the remaining two quarterly drills should be scheduled for an evening period.  Clearly a nighttime drill will impact members, but this impact on member service and enjoyment of their club can be lessened by various strategies such as a Board approved and supported weeknight “Fire Drill Night” when members are alerted in advance to the evening’s drill and the drill is scheduled for a particular time.  Meal service on this “special activity” night would be a reduced price buffet scheduled to start just after the drill is completed.  Members would be asked to arrive early for a brief open bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres while seated in the dining room.  After participating in the drill, members would return to their seats for the specialty buffet.  The selected date should be one without scheduled catered functions.

The other means of training and testing employees in various departments of their responsibilities and actions during an emergency evacuation would be departmental Emergency Evacuation Simulations.  These routine periodic simulations would consist of a variety of cards describing simulated emergencies for each area of the operation and asking employees what their actions would be when handed the card.

Simulation cards would be readily identifiable by design and color.  Each card would:

• Describe an emergency scenario.
• Require the employee to describe his or her actions, including:
• Notification of the emergency.
• Location of emergency exits.
• Primary and alternate evacuation routes.
• Steps to evacuate members, guests, and other employees.
• Location of exterior assembly area.

Require the employee to list:

• Appropriate life safety actions in the presence of fire, heat, and smoke.
• Steps to fight or slow the spread of the fire.
  • Require the employee to:
  • Point out the location of fire pull stations.
  • Point out the location of fire extinguishers.
  • Explain the types of fire extinguishers and their respective uses.
  • Simulate the use of a fire extinguisher, while describing the necessary operating procedures and techniques.

The supervisor presenting the simulation card would grade the employee responses and point out any incorrect actions or answers.  The whole exercise should take no more than ten minutes and can be executed without disturbing normal service routines. 

The combination of quarterly evacuation drills and routinely administered simulation exercises will increase the fire safety awareness of club staff and provide valuable information and experience in emergency evacuation procedures.

Ed Rehkopf, Senior Vice President, Club Resources International.  Club Resources International is a portal website for the club industry providing a wide array of operational resources, articles, and best practices for the club industry.  The website can be found at www.myclubresource.com .

A – Associations –what circles are you in? Make sure you are not the biggest fish in the pond. If you are, get in another circle with people who are more successful, mature and represent who you want to be.  It will rub off.

B – Books – what are you reading? Discipline yourself to read books related to what you want to accomplish or grow in. If reading is not your thing, listen to audio books or podcasts. Think about it, you can gain years of study and experience from some of the smartest people in the world for $15.

C – Choices – What do you choose to do with your most limited resource – time? Everything falls into one of two categories – 1) goal achieving and 2) tension relieving. Make sure you are weighted heavily towards goal achieving and cut off any destructive tension relieving activities.

ClubPay presents the challenge to ACT NOW! 

We invite you to share your goals and your success stories here by commenting on this article.