Human Resources - Personnel https://www.askascent.com/forums/posts.aspx?topic=1009419 Sat, 6 Jun 2026 16:35:22 GMT Fri, 26 Sep 2014 23:24:51 GMT Copyright © 2014 ASCENT | Administrator Support Community for ENT Human Resources - Personnel https://www.askascent.com/forums/posts.aspx?topic=1009419 https://www.askascent.com/forums/posts.aspx?topic=1009419 You are almost there!  During this last week of topic review we will be going over Human Resources.  We will be focusing on personnel.

 

Employees are the most valuable asset in any organization.  It is important to understand the hiring process.   The first part of the hiring process is to develop a strong job description.  You should be familiar with what a job description should consist of.

 

Job descriptions should consist of the following elements:

1.            General job information

2.            The purpose of the position

3.            The essential functions of the position

4.            Minimum candidate requirement for the position

5.            Preferred candidate qualifications

 

Be familiar with the recruitment and hiring process.

Be aware of methods used for recruiting a strong applicant pool. 

Know what is involved in the interview process.

Know what questions can you ask an applicant and what types of questions are prohibited.

Know what reference checks are and how are they conducted.  Why are they so important?

 

Sample questions

Which of the following provides the basis for employer decisions related to hiring, training and terminating an employee?

A.            Grievance procedure

B.            Strategic plan

C.            Performance review

D.            Job description

 

Which of the following questions can be asked during the interview process?

A.            Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

B.            Do you drink alcohol?

C.            What social organizations do you belong to?

D.            Do you have child care?

 

Answers 1.D, 2.A

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What are common office policies that new employee will need?
Examples include: vacation and sick time policy, attendance policy, confidentiality agreement, dress code, no fragrance zones, ethics or code of conduct policy and Internet usage policy.

Terminology to know
Flexible Work Schedule – Work hours that allows an employee to structure their work hours around their personal responsibilities. Examples include: flextime, job sharing, telecommuting and a compressed workweek.

Home Sourcing – Employees work full-time from home.

FTE – Full time equivalent. A value assigned to signify the number of full-time employees.

Exempt vs. Non-Exempt – The difference between exempt and nonexempt employees is who gets paid overtime and who does not.

Telecommuting – working remotely offsite.

Cafeteria Plan – A plan that offers employees a variety of different benefits. This allows the employee to choose which benefits would fit their individual needs.

Employee self service – a program that allows employees to handle many job related tasks normally conducted by HR departments including benefit enrollment and updating personal information. Employees can access the information through the company’s intranet, kiosks or other web based applications.
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Employee retention – Employees are an investment to an organization. It is important you know how to retain them once they are hired.

Below are examples the reasons employees stay with their current employer:
- Competitive benefits
- Opportunities to promote from within
- Fostering employee development with on the job training
- Financial rewards
- Open communication with management
- Formal mentoring programs


Be familiar with performance reviews, why they are important and the terminology surrounding them.
Are you familiar with core competencies?
Do you know what a 360 performance review entails?
Are you familiar with how to set performance goals?
What is a peer appraisal?
What are performance standards?
What is a performance improvement plan and when is it used?

SMART Goals are helpful when setting goals with an employee.
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Trackable and time bound

Sample question
1. Performance reviews should be done at a minimum
A. Every year
B. Every 2 years
C. Every 3 years
D. Every 4 years


2.What are considered Performance standards?
A. Tasks, functions or behavioral requirements
B. Tasks, skills and duties
C. Skills, goals and behavioral requirements
D. Skills, functions and duties

Answers: 1.A , 2 A
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The purpose of the disciplinary process is to provide specific feedback to the employee so he or she can correct the problem. The goal of progressive discipline is to improve employee performance – not punish an employee.

You should be familiar with the disciplinary process and terminology associated with the process.
Are you aware of the steps in a progressive discipline system? Steps may include counseling, verbal reprimand, verbal warning, written warning, suspension and termination.
How and when do you counsel and document performance concerns with an employee?
Why is documentation so important during the disciplinary process?

Terms you should be familiar with include:
Arbitration
Just cause
Down sizing
Lay off
Wrongful termination
Union environment
Performance Improvement Plan
Restructuring
Retaliation
What is a grievance?
Misconduct

In the event all else fails and you must terminate an employee, be sure the following steps are taken:
Notify your HR Dept – if applicable
Give the employee official written notice
Notify your network administrator to end access to the computer and phone system.
Disable employee building or property access
Make sure company property is returned as the employee departs. This includes books, keys, id badges, computer, cell phone, lab top – essentially anything owned by the company.
Benefit status letter
Repayment of advances
Payment of money owed to the employee
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How do you know you are offering a competitive salary to your employees?
Are you familiar with salary and benefit surveys that will assist your clinic in hiring new employees and retention of established employees?
Examples include:
ASHA clinician salary surveys
AOA compensation surveys
AAMC – Academic salary survey based on region and rank
MGMA compensation survey

What are various types of incentive plans, when are they offered and for what reason?
You should be familiar with the differences between bonuses, commissions and profit sharing plans.

Benefits make up a large component of an employee’s total compensation. Are you familiar with the various types of benefits available to employees? Do you know which are required and which are not?

1. Required Employee Benefits
All employers must pay in whole or in part for certain legally mandated benefits and insurance coverage including the following:

Social Security
As an employer, you must pay social security taxes at the same rate paid by employees.

Unemployment Insurance
Unemployment insurance is mandated at the state level, so the law is going to be different wherever your business is located.

Workers Compensation
workers compensation provides benefits to workers disabled by occupational illness or injury. Again, this insurance is mandated differently by each state.

Family and Medical Leave
While regular vacation leave is not a required benefit, employers with 50 or more employees are required to provide leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This provides 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during any 12-month period to eligible, covered employees for reasons including birth and childcare, immediate family care, or care for the employee’s own health condition.

COBRA Benefits
Companies who had 20 or more employees on more than 50 percent of its typical business days in the previous calendar year are subject to COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985). COBRA provides continuation of health coverage at group rates for former employees, retirees, spouses, former spouses and dependent children.

2. Optional Employee Benefits
You’ll notice that the list of required benefits does not include much of what the average employee today would expect from a competitive benefits program. Benefits such as healthcare insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, diverse leave policies and paid time off combine to make a comprehensive benefit plan that is often considered an integral part of a total compensation package for many employees.

Are you familiar with retirement plans and the difference between them?
What is a the difference between a pension plan and retirement account?

Pension Plan - A pension is a retirement account that an employer maintains to give the employee a fixed payout when upon retirement.

401(k) plans are the most popular type of retirement plan used today. They can be a powerful tool in promoting financial security in retirement and are a valuable option for businesses considering a retirement plan, providing benefits to employees and their employers. Employees may defer a portion of their salary as either a pre-tax or after-tax contribution. There are several types of 401(k) plans for which you can make either non-elective or matching employer contributions.

Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA)
IRAs let you set aside money for retirement and are offered by banks, mutual funds, and other financial institutions. They are a common option for sole proprietors, although some plans do allow employees to contribute through a payroll deduction.

• Traditional IRA - contributions are often tax-deductible (often simplified as “money is deposited before tax” or “contributions are made with pre-tax assets”), all transactions and earnings within the IRA have no tax impact, and withdrawals at retirement are taxed as income (except for those portions of the withdrawal corresponding to contributions that were not deducted). Depending upon the nature of the contribution, a traditional IRA may be referred to as a “deductible IRA” or a “non-deductible IRA.”

• ROTH IRA - contributions are made with after-tax assets, all transactions within the IRA have no tax impact, and withdrawals are usually tax-free.

• SEP IRA - a provision that allows an employer (typically a small business or self-employed individual) to make retirement plan contributions into a Traditional IRA established in the employee’s name, instead of to a pension fund in the company's name.

• SIMPLE IRA - a Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees that requires employer matching contributions to the plan whenever an employee makes a contribution. The plan is similar to a 401(k) plan, but with lower contribution limits and simpler (and thus less costly) administration. Although it is termed an IRA, it is treated separately.

Profit Sharing Plan or Stock Bonus Plan
A Profit Sharing Plan or Stock Bonus Plan is a defined contribution plan under which the plan may provide, or the employer may determine, annually, how much will be contributed to the plan (out of profits or otherwise). The plan contains a formula for allocating to each participant a portion of each annual contribution. A profit sharing plan or stock bonus plan include a 401(k) plan.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan
An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a form of defined contribution plan in which the investments are primarily in employer stock.

Money Purchase Pension Plan
A Money Purchase Pension Plan is a plan that requires fixed annual contributions from the employer to the employee's individual account. Because a money purchase pension plan requires these regular contributions, the plan is subject to certain funding and other rules.

Cash Balance Plan
The cash balance plan typically offers a lump sum at and often before normal retirement age. However, as is the case with all defined benefit plans, a cash balance plan must also provide the option of receiving the benefit as a life annuity. The amount of the annuity benefit must be definitely determinable as per IRS regulation 1.412-1.


Other Benefits – Perks, promoting a healthy work/life balance

Tuition reimbursement/assistance
Transportation subsidy
Flexible hours
Paid maternity/paternity leave
Offer benefits to same-sex couples in domestic partnerships
Telecommuting
Day care
Employee discounts
Fitness center
Sports teams and leagues (bowling, softball)
Health programs (smoking cessation, Weight Watchers)
Subsidized costs on healthy meal options
Farmers Market
Company/campus events
Training and advancement opportunities
Recognition & rewards
Incentive pay/bonuses
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