Is Your Company Missing Out on Valuable Tax Credits?

Is Your Company Missing Out on Valuable Tax Credits?

by | Jul 2, 2020 | Insider Perspective

For many organizations across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic created a variety of financial implications that have had or will have long-ranging effects.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is an end-of-the-year Federal spending and tax extension package. It was designed for employers who hire and retain individuals from targeted groups that have experienced substantial employment hurdles.

To maximize the funds your company receives from these types of government tax credits, it’s important that compliant WOTC-related forms are part of your candidate’s workflow. With the Click Boarding platform, guided experiences, engagement and compliance products provide increased engagement and ensure your onboarding efforts are optimized.

Director of Policy Engagement at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Chatrane Bribal explained the government incentives provided by WOTC “…help both employers that are experiencing labor shortages and certain groups of people who need assistance finding jobs, such as the long-term unemployed, the formerly incarcerated, individuals with disabilities and qualified military veterans.” Bribal added that the SHRM organization strongly supported WOTC when it was introduced, urging Congress to pass the legislation in December 2019.

There are two new WOTC employee retention programs that organizations can take advantage of:

1. Disaster Relief Employee Retention Credit for 2018-2019
Created for businesses impacted by one or more of the 29 FEMA disasters between 2018 and 2019. Examples of FEMA disaster areas include the California wildfires, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Florence, Midwest Flooding and many others. This WOTC tax credit is potentially worth up to $2,400 for each current employee that earned wages at a disaster location.

2. COVID Employee Retention Tax Credit
The pandemic generated considerable economic turmoil that resulted in widespread job loss, layoffs and furloughs. Employers who suffered temporary or permanent losses as a direct result of COVID-19 may be eligible for a refundable payroll tax credit of up to $5,000 per employee, as long as they were employed by the employer for a minimum of 30 days.

Employers claim more than $1 billion in WOTC tax credits every year. If your company isn’t taking advantage of these valuable incentives, you could be losing money.

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The Importance of Form I-9 Compliance in Employee Onboarding

The Importance of Form I-9 Compliance in Employee Onboarding

by | Jun 12, 2020 | Compliance and Security, New Hire Onboarding

It’s probably old hat for you HR veterans out there (you know who you are!), but many Click Boarding users have questions about Form I-9. This especially rings true if you’re beginning your HR career at a large enterprise organization.

So if you just left that last HR meeting feeling dazed and confused about Form I-9, don’t stress! We’re here to help. Let’s review why Form I-9 is an integral and mandatory part of the employment process.

What is Form I-9 compliance?
When the Immigration and Reform and Control Act of 1986 was passed, employers were made responsible for the proper completion of Form I-9. The form verified the identity and employment authorization for every person an organization hired for employment in the United States.

Who is required to complete the form?
Form I-9 must be completed by both employees and employers (or authorized employer representatives), and employees must attest to employment authorization. In addition, employees must present their employer with documents proving identity and employment authorization.

How is Form I-9 used in employee onboarding?
During the employee onboarding process, a new hire completes a variety of paperwork, including Form I-9. Once a new hire completes all the necessary forms, employers are required to retain the original Form I-9s for a period of three years after a candidate is hired. If this manual approach sounds a bit clunky to you, that’s because it is.

On the contrary, the Click Boarding platform delivers a mobile-first, digital experience that completely eliminates boring, tedious paperwork.Our paperless, guided process engages employees throughout the entire employee journey lifecycle, simplifies the HR process and drives a 50% boost in retention.

What happens if Form I-9 isn’t properly filled out?
Incomplete I-9 forms can translate into costly fines for employers, ranging from $220 to $2,191 per Form I-9 in instances where verification was improper or omitted.

It’s interesting to note that over the past several years, the volume of I-9 audits performed has increased at a significant rate. That’s why it’s essential that you ensure all your Form I-9s are being completed accurately and on time for every new employee, including citizens and non-citizens.

What are the consequences of Form I-9 non-compliance?
The consequences will depend on why an employer’s Form I-9s are determined “not compliant.” If technical or procedural violations are discovered on Form I-9s, employers are given 10 business days to correct the errors. 

When employers knowingly hire unauthorized workers, they’re required to cease and desist the illegal activity. They may also be faced with a hefty fine, future federal contracts, government benefits or even criminal prosecution. 

In May 2020, minor changes were made to the Form I-9 instructions. If employers fail to use the new form, they will face increasingly sizable annual fines of $1,360 to $5,981. The 2020 Form I-9 changes include:

  • A revised website mailing address and contact details
  • Clarity around who may act as an authorized representative on an employer’s behalf
  • Updated instructions for employers completing Section 2
  • Changes to the process for requesting paper Form I-9s and a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Privacy Notice updates

Case in point: it pays to be compliant
In 2017, the global Chinese fast-food chain Panda Express settled with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation on Form I-9 protocol.The focus of the investigation centered on what the DOJ determined as discriminatory Form I-9 practices by Panda Express during the re-verification process or a candidate’s citizenship or national origin status.

When all was said and done, Panda Express faced a whopping $400,000 fine and a strict requirement to reimburse impacted employees with the creation of a $200,000 fund.

Always be compliant. Go with Click Boarding.
Whether you’re an HR career newbie or a seasoned pro, you can depend on Click Boarding to get your Form I-9s completed correctly and compliantly. Our mobile-first platform energizes HR and new hires by blending form management, employee engagement, digital process workflows and integrated data into efficient, flexible and compliant solutions.

Contact us today and start your digital onboarding path to tomorrow!

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The State of Employee Onboarding 2020

The State of Employee Onboarding 2020

by | Jun 4, 2020 | New Hire Onboarding, Onboarding Solutions

How has the pandemic changed the way we onboard employees?

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything: how we live, how we communicate and ultimately how we interact with one another. It was a cataclysmic event that forever changed the way we look at work and employment, not to mention virtually everything we do on a daily basis. Now, everyone is adjusting to the “new normal.”

Since the pandemic began, statistics show that over 30 million people have filed for unemployment, with countless businesses of every size impacted by this global situation. One area most companies are experiencing significant metamorphosis is Human Resources. Due to many state and federal mandates, HR professionals were faced with the inability of employees to return to work because of COVID-19. Not necessarily because they didn’t want to return to work, but rather “stay safe” orders or “stay at home” orders left many with no other choice. Possibly even worse was the introduction of “essential” and “non-essential” workers. 

Click Boarding’s Chief Revenue Officer Christine Marino says she’s witnessed firsthand how the pandemic is transforming the way organizations onboard their new hires. “COVID-19 and its long-ranging implications have forced companies to reevaluate what they’re doing internally for new hire recruitment and employee engagement. I think they’re coming to terms with the fact that what we’ve done in the past needs to change dramatically for the future.”

Rethinking “normal”

“The majority of companies didn’t have a choice. They were forced to respond to the drastic change and challenged to do things very differently as a result of the new working-from-home workforce. They had to figure out — and fast — how to manage some or all of their remote employees along with onboarding new hires,” Marino explained. As the pandemic went on, companies had to offboard employees, many in mass quantities. The timing of these layoffs forced many companies to do this virtually. The stories shared were heart breaking.

What they’re doing is “kicking the tires” of onboarding, knowing yesterday’s solution must change for tomorrow. HR departments are searching for a new solution to efficiently and effectively onboard their new hires within the parameters of everyone’s new normal.

Changes with the biggest impact

What types of changes were most prevalent? “Mobile first is a critical driver which isn’t a surprise; everyone lives off their cell phones today,” Marino commented. Even at a Federal level, Marino says companies had to change the process of completing and submitting I-9 forms. Because of the pandemic, new hire candidates could no longer complete this type of documentation face to face as they had done in the past. What it did was force companies to adapt during the midst of a global crisis.

“In addition, it helped organizations realize the fundamental need to drastically improve how they bring talent onboard. The pandemic caused us to lose millions to unemployment, and it wasn’t by choice. Companies had to let really good people go because of the uncertainty. Once things settle down, the fight for great employees will certainly commence again.”

Engage new hires & protect your reputation

Now more than ever, Marino explained, company reputations are on the line. “When you look at the impact of how you reacted to the pandemic as an organization, it reflects your conviction to the problem and finding a viable solution,” she said.

Now that folks are returning to work, companies must make a cognitive decision to offer a more fostering environment for employees. Everyone has real feelings about the state of the world, post COVID-19. The emotional impact of this is tantamount to your talent and your brand. Why? Because everything your organization is doing during this time will be closely scrutinized from both new and existing employees alike.

How do you ensure your company is on track for this brave, new world?

Depend on a leader. Click Boarding has expanded our solutions suite to help organizations respond to COVID-19. Our platform delivers a guided experience that removes HR burdens and minimizes employee anxiety related to any transition or internal mobility, from being a new hire, to being promoted, to changing roles or offboarding. Whatever your needs, Click Boarding can help. We’d love to hear how you responded to this global crisis and share how we have as well.

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WEBINAR: Operationalizing Internal Mobility to Redeploy Your Existing Workforce

WEBINAR: Operationalizing Internal Mobility to Redeploy Your Existing Workforce

by | May 6, 2020 | Insider Perspective, Recruiting and TA, Remote Onboarding

Internal Talent Mobility & Redeployment of Your Workforce

On Thursday, April 30, 2020, Click Boarding partnered with SmartRecruiters in a compelling discussion with renowned HR leaders and analysts to discuss the focus on how best to operationalize internal mobility and redeploy an existing workforce.

SmartRecruiters launched TA Today for the Talent Acquisition Community to hear from experts on a variety of topics that are especially relevant right now. The goal is to share their insights, best practices and practical steps to positively impact your talent acquisition strategy, which has most likely changed dramatically recently.

Panelists included:

  • Hung Lee (Workshape.io) – Co-founder and CEO
  • Elaine Orler (Talent Function) – Founder & CEO
  • Felix Serrano (Activus Connect) – CEO & Co-Founder
  • Jess Von Bank (Leapgen) – Global Community Leader for Digitization & the NOW of Work

Webinar Recap

Although most organizations understand the importance, impact and value of onboarding, how many are actually crossboarding existing employees? Has your business operationalized the process and prioritized recruiting from your internal talent pool? If you haven’t already, it’s time you started.

Don’t let the competition leverage this unprecedented time to recruit the talent you already have. The statistics speak for themselves:

  • 75% of job seekers say being passed over for a promotion was a reason to go job hunting
  • After three years, an employee who was promoted has a 70% chance of staying at that company
  • 54% of employees are unclear about their promotion and career path

Access the full recording of this webinar >>

Internal mobility operations during COVID-19

How does your organization currently think about internal mobility? Is it a priority? If it’s not, why? If yes, has it always been a priority? Or is this a new development due to the pandemic? Whatever the case, our HR thought leaders shared the following timely insights as a result of the pandemic:

  • Critical assignment-based work has now become the priority.
  • Skills and abilities are being put to the test with a hyperfocus on the results.
  • There’s been a mass adoption of remote working which has significantly helped internal mobility. Organizations are not as well equipped as they can be and should be for remote working.
  • Talent must be mobile, agile and adaptable. If they’re not equipped, they’re not as competitive as they need to be…especially now.

Ideas to keep employees moving to new opportunities

  • Thought starters from Elaine
    Redefine what “internal mobility” means in your organization. Break the requirement of an employee notifying their manager if they’re interested in pursuing internal opportunities. Put that aside. Employees should be able to look internally without managers knowing. Secondly, there needs be career planning at the employee level to  expose data to employees.
  • Key points from Felix
    The requirements on expectations to operate in this new world need to be updated. What does it take for an organization to have mobility (horizontal or vertical)? There are new rules of engagement. What will it take for an employee to move to the next role? First, we have to bridge the gap and set clear expectations.
  • Insights from Jess
    Who owns a person’s career? The individual! Right now, there are more opportunities for people to take ownership. Give your employees tools, and make internal mobility fluid and easy to do it. If I see career paths as an employee, then there needs to be more ownership put on the individual to look around the organization.

How to drive better work while serving employee retention, engagement & experience

  • When in a leadership role, you have to measure the extent to which you’re developing talent, promoting employees and growing as an organization. The compensation mechanism has to support your investing in and growing people.
  • Aim to disproportionately hire from within, and prepare to support the business as it grows.
  • Look at it from the work/project perspective, and then how best to allocate the work. Examine your entire talent space, not just the regular workflorce but also your extended workforce: gig and freelance workers, part-time, on leave, etc. These people are available and best equipped for the talent marketplace.
  • Determine who has the necessary skills within an organization for a given position.
  • Track and keep record of all resources.
  • Determine who “owns” internal mobility. As an HR professional, do you own internal mobility? Do you own total talent (regardless of badge type)?
  • Manage potential gaps in teams. Reassigning comes with both risks and rewards. It’s an opportunity to say “not yet, but maybe later;” but don’t hold employees there forever. Unless there’s a problem (barriers/challenge in team structure), let them finish the contribution. Balances do have to happen.

How to facilitate internal mobility

  • Bridge the gap. Conduct assessments of employees and how to access the data across departments (at the outset), and  then conduct reviews. Assess, feed information into system and ultimately pick and choose from that. Be sure to assess that work in a fair way.
  • People data is the new business mandate, PERIOD. If you don’t have full line-of-sight into everyone and their capabilities, then you have work to do!
  • Leadership & development, training roles. Talent acquisition does well at being great coaches in the way of quality development. There’s a lot of transferable skills to hone in on and redeploy in those departments.
  • Strategic sourcing from talent acquisition. TA professionals should act as talent advisors for internal mobility and the redeployment of those we need to furlough to let to. There’s no reason they can’t refer out in a positive way that allows them to come back when the organization is ready to grow again.

It’s time to raise the bar on internal mobility solutions
So what’s the best way to weather the storm in the “new normal?” Contact the employee journey experts at Click Boarding. Our robust, compliant platform enables enterprise organizations to automate the steps within the process and get your team back to focusing on the important things: your people.

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The Offboarding Process: How to Optimize Your Efforts

The Offboarding Process: How to Optimize Your Efforts

by | Apr 30, 2020 | Employee Experience, Offboarding

How to Optimize Your Offboarding Process

With all of the uncertainty, drastic business shifts and never-before-experienced scenarios which are a byproduct of COVID-19, it’s imperative to focus on people during times of change and uncertainty, now more than ever.

Although they may not expect it, your employees deserve it. This especially rings true in the case of workforce reductions at organizations both large and small.

But how do you manage the offboarding process at your organization? And the added stress and tasks during an employment reduction effort during such unprecedented time?

No matter which way you look at it, employee exits make for difficult times. Why not make the administrative side of offboarding less painful than it has to be? It’s possible with the mobile-first Click Boarding platform.

Our efficient and compliant offboarding solution meets the changing demands of today’s world. We provide next-level digital offboarding that streamlines the administration of employee exits while creating a configurable experience that’s both empathetic and easily accessible.

With the Click Boarding platform, you’ll be equipped with a seamless digital offboarding solution to increase employee engagement, streamline HR and boost compliance.

Engineered with the features you need to empower your HR team, Click Boarding can help you:

  • Maintain supportive relationships with honest, thoughtful transitions.
  • Create a return path for future opportunities with high-performing boomerangs.
  • Facilitate smoother knowledge transfer, procurement requirements and safeguards.
  • Enhance compliance and data security via a neutral third-party platform.
  • Reinforce your alumni brand and referral potential from past employees.

When you partner with Click Boarding, you’ll see instantly what sets our digital offboarding solution apart from the others:

  • It’s a unique portal designed specifically for employee exits and features empathetic language and tone.
  • Organizations receive a custom offboarding URL and email messaging to affected employees.
  • It offers a flexible collection of offboarding insights, along with insightful exit surveys.
  • Our on-the-fly setup allows HR teams to manage offboarding in the same fashion as our entire product line.

Whether your organization needs offboarding, onboarding or crossboarding, our extensive cross-platform capabilities have you covered. Employees and employers alike can expect:

  • A mobile-first, guided experiences for seamless process flow
  • Intuitive, easy-to-use candidate and admin self-service
  • Compliant, configurable process for multiple workflows, forms and tasks
  • Advanced security, including GDPR and Soc 2 Type 2 compliance

Whether you’re simply exploring options right now or you’re actually ready to use a more empathetic, compliant and efficient offboarding solution, trust the experts at Click Boarding to help. Find out how we can help make this time easier on you, your team and your bottom line.

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PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS & CONDITIONS | SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS