Issue 15, December 2007   SECTIONS Articles & Insights Welcome New Customers EmpCenter Webinars Upcoming Events by Roger A. Smith, CPP & Payroll Consultant Happy Holy Days I’d like to thank WorkForce Software for providing me a forum to discuss payroll and related issues with you the last several months. I hope to do more of the same in 2008. It’s been said that you should never discuss religion or politics in a business environment – well, WorkForce Software has generously agreed to allow me to do a little of both this month! [more]   OTHER ISSUES November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 SUBSCRIBE   Happy Holidays from The Workforce Chronicle In the Holiday Edition of The Workforce Chronicle we'll reflect on the past year, review results from the 2007 Learning Series program, and say hello to new customers. Also, our own Payroll Prof delivers a multi-holiday message to close out the year on a cheery note. Congratulations to Teshia Schweedler from YMCA of Colorado Springs and L'Tanga Johnson from BMW Manufacturing Co. for winning the BLR Special Report on FLSA Overtime: Making Your Way Through the Exempt/Nonexempt Minefield. Featured Article Happy Holidays from WorkForce Software December 2007 marks the First Anniversary of The WorkForce Chronicle. Thank you for your continued support in reading our newsletter. We will continue in 2008 to provide you with new and interesting industry news, hot topics, a dash of WorkForce Software updates, and, of course, our monthly Learning Series Webinars. Over the year, WorkForce posted nine on-demand webinars, ranging in topics from workforce technology to best practices. The Learning Series webinars have been viewed by more than 900 people throughout the year. For those of you familiar with the webinars, you know Mr. Roger A. Smith, CPP and payroll consultant, who is a frequent speaker for our Learning Series and contributor to our Payroll Prof corner. He has an extensive background in the payroll industry, recently retired from EDS, and is a frequent speaker for the American Payroll Association. Mr. Smith presented the top three most popular webinars this past year. Process Modeling in the Payroll Department This session is ideal for all payroll and HR professionals who want to improve current processes and make an impact within their organization. Process modeling communicates an understanding of current practices and facilitates process improvement. Often times, there are initiating factors or events that happen in the payroll department, such as ensuring labor law compliance, that require process improvement. This session provides a foundation to help you get started. Strategic Planning in the Payroll Department This session is ideal for all payroll and HR professionals who want to be involved in the planning process of their departments. To be a productive and cost effective department within any organization, strategic planning is key. This webinar begins with the basics of planning, and then moves into the details of the process, providing a foundation to get anyone started. What are Payroll Best Practices This session provides payroll professionals with the framework to develop best practices within their department and deploy those practices throughout the organization to increase efficiency, lower labor costs, and improve overall processes. To help in your success, the webinar discusses what are best practices and how to create well thought out plans to improve current events. For those of you who have not seen the above-mentioned webinars, they are still available on our website. The 2008 Learning Series proves to be a promising new year, with Mr. Smith kicking off our Learning Series with “Implementing Payroll Best Practices,” which is a follow up to the November webinar, “What are Payroll Best Practices.” We look forward to having you join us!   Articles & Insights Ballard’s agrees to pay $250K in labor violations lawsuit Ballard’s Inn has agreed to pay 154 employees $207,650 in back wages as well as a $42,350 civil penalty to resolve a lawsuit brought against it in April by the U.S. Labor Department for violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. [more] New York State Gains $50,000 In Prevailing Wage Dispute The New York State Labor Department has received $49,698.37 from Schultz Industries, Inc. of Hewitt, Texas as restitution for their subcontractor McCoy Contractors LLC of Perrysville, Ohio after McCoy failed to pay its workers prevailing wage under a public work contract for the Jamestown School District. The case was initiated after a random site visit by investigators from the Buffalo District of the department’s Bureau of Public Work. [more]   WorkForce Software In The News Avoid the most Common Payroll Mistakes with Time and Attendance, PAYTECH, January 2007 Front-end Applications Help Eliminate Payroll Process Drudgery, PAYTECH, August/September 2007 EmpCenter Product Review, PAYTECH, October 2007 Save Time & Money with Employee Self-service, PAYTECH, November 2007 Welcome New Customers in 2007 City of Roseville, California UTC Power, Conneticut Wiley Rein, DC Atlantic Marine, Florida Clackamas County, Oregon North Dakota Department of Transportation Mattawan Consolidated School District, Michigan Sidley Austin, Illinois Pittsburgh Corning Corporation Ohio State University Libraries American Cancer Society, Georgia Matanuska Telephone, Alaska San Bernardino County Superintendent of School Districts Ohio State University Facilities, Operations & Development City of Omaha, Nebraska Middlesex Savings Bank, Massachusetts Auto Warehousing Company, Washington   EmpCenter Solution EmpCenter™ is a sophisticated workforce management solution designed to manage employee-employer interactions. EmpCenter automates several significant processes for payroll personnel, including: Collects time and attendance data using multiple options Calculates and tracks leave time and accruals Enforces complex HR and payroll policies Tracks time against projects, departments, or cost centers Provides supervisors a friendly dashboard to manage timesheets and other tasks Ensures 100% compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and other government labor regulations Contact WorkForce Software for more information at info@workforcesoftware.com.   Webinars Don’t Miss our 2008 Learning Series. We’re kicking off the year with “Implementing Payroll Best Practices” in January 2008! What are Payroll Best Practices? Change Management for the Payroll Professionals Time Collection for your Mobile, Field, Remote Workforce Process Modeling in the Payroll Department Strategic Planning in the Payroll Department Payroll Technologies: Past, Present and Emerging Top 5 Essential Practices for Payroll Professionals Controlling Overtime Pay with Scheduling Automation Trends and Myths of Workforce Management The Fair Labor Standards Act - A Review   Events Stop by to see WorkForce Software at the following 2008 Conferences. CUPA-HR Midwest Region Conference Hyatt Regency Chicago March 16 – 19, 2008 Booth #110 HR Technology in Hospitality March 17 – 18, 2008 Wynn Las Vegas Booth #313 Michigan School Board Officials - MSBO DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan April 30 – May 1, 2008 APA’s 26th Annual Congress Austin Convention Center May 13 – 17, 2008 Booth #412 IHRIM 2008 Disney’s Contemporary Resort Lake Buena Vista, Florida June 1 – 4, 2008 Booth #231 APA’s Leadership Forum Austin, Texas August 2008 20th Annual Northwest Regional Payroll Conference Lynnwood Convention Center Lynnwood, Washington September 18, 2008 CUPA-HR National Conference & Expo 2008 Adam’s Mark Hotel St. Louis, Missouri October 12 – 15, 2008 Booth #303 HR Technology 2008 Conference McCormick Place Chicago October 15 – 16, 2008 Booth #646     Sponsored by: