Proof of receipt Each employee who receives an employee handbook must verify receipt. A proof of receipt may be in the form of a tear-out sheet of which the employee receives a copy, and the original is placed in their employee file. As organizations and employers become
more digital the proof of receipt as well as the handbook may be provided electronically with a digital acknowledgement and signature of the employee.
Searching for the right employees The employee search and process
can lead a conversation into illegal territory and should be avoided. In an article on the SHRM website (SHRM.org), Charles Vethan, president and CEO of a Houston-based law firm, and David Weisenfeld, a legal editor with XpertHR, caution against questions that may come up in an interview conversation, such as: ● “We are hiring because our business is about to become very busy. Do you have any plans that might interfere with your ability to work full time over the next year?” ● “Your name is very exotic; where are you from originally?” ● “What year did you graduate college?” ● “Are you married? Will you be starting a family any time soon?” ● “Do you have children? What kind of childcare arrangements have you made?” ● “This job requires the ability to lift things heavier than 20 pounds. Have you had prior medical problems that would prevent you from being able to do so?” ● “Did you take any sick days or extended medical leave last year?” However, there are some questions that may make an interviewee nervous but are acceptable to ask. These questions are looking to determine whether the interviewee can meet the requirements of the job and could include: ● “Will you be able to meet the attendance requirements for this job?” ● “Where do you live?” (An employer may have a legitimate concern if an applicant will have an excessively long commute to work.) ● “Can you perform the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation?” Employers cannot ask questions that might demonstrate an unlawful bias for or against specific candidates. Questions, such as those listed below, are considered improper: ● Are you pregnant or do you plan to be in the future? If a job applicant appears to have or has a disability, the employer may ask about the disability only to determine what, if any, workplace modifications (reasonable accommodations) may be necessary. In summary, when interviewing job candidates, employers must focus on the job being interviewed for and seek to determine if the candidate meets the criteria for the position. Don’t let poor planning and poor interviewing processes lead to potential illegal territory. experienced employee. In an association with few employees, OJT typically consists of hands-on training. If new employees are required to attend certain classroom courses, the classroom portion is considered off-the-job training. If an employee must meet continuing education requirements, the employer, including a community association as the employer, may choose to provide paid time off during the workweek to allow the employee to take the courses and may want to consider paying any registration costs. ● Are you married? ● How old are you? ● What is your sexual preference? ● What religion do you practice? ● What is your ethnicity?
Employee recruiting, screening, and selection is an essential part of putting together the right workforce for the organization. The goal of recruiting and screening candidates is to select the best candidate for the position while complying with all federal, state, and local requirements. As mentioned previously, workers may work remotely and as such they often require different skill sets. Requesting and acquiring required employment information and forms for hiring may vary in different locations (states, internationally). If hiring remote workers, they may live and work from different states or countries from where the organization is located. For example, a large CAB has contracts with several community associations that are not located in the same city, county, or state. It is no longer impossible to think that a community association in this state would utilize the services of a management company that is based in another state and provides not only staff members who are located here but also services and employees who are based elsewhere. The interview The employer should develop a list of questions to ask all candidates. During the interview, the employer may pose questions to permit individual candidates to clarify their qualifications. It is prudent for the employer to have another person attend the interviews to ensure that the interview process is conducted appropriately as well as to provide a second opinion about the candidates. Improper questions Questions that an employer should steer clear of during an interview include any question that relates to discrimination and has nothing to do with the candidate’s ability to do the job. For instance, questions that refer to sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, ethnicity, religious beliefs are off limits. There are several other types of questions that should be avoided. It is important for interview questions to be the same for all candidates and that they relate strictly to the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to be successful in the role. This may include requiring proof of required licensure, which would be the case if the employer is hiring a CAM. Questions around physical abilities may be asked, only as long as ‘physical ability’ is deemed a bona fide requirement of the job. It is imperative to an employer, whether that is a community association or a management firm, to know federal, state, and local laws concerning interview questions and procedures. It is advisable that the employer consult with an attorney when preparing their applications for employment as well as their list of interview questions and their employee handbooks. Asking about alcohol consumption, dating or high school graduation date may not be outright legal violations, but they When a community association employs a person, it should provide orientation and initial job training and ongoing training as needed, including on-the-job training (OJT). OJT is conducted on-site, and usually focuses on helping a new employee learn job responsibilities and association procedures. In an organization with many employees, OJT may include training provided to inexperienced employees during the initial stages of employment, delivered by a professional trainer, or an Training and development On-the-job training
EliteLearning.com/CAM/Florida
Book Code: CAMFL1524
Page 18
Powered by FlippingBook