Human resources is highly regulated and there are federal, state and local laws that you must understand and adhere and which may be influenced by factors such as number of employees, whether you are doing business with government agencies, and the size of your business. It is due to this complexity, that we strongly encourage you to seek a Human Resource Consultant and/or an attorney who specializes in employment law.

There are also resources available online where you can also obtain guidance regarding federal and state specific HR obligations, including overviews of state and federal laws, publications, handbooks, and in some instances telephone hotlines to assist you in drafting and adopting compliant personnel documents and practices. Information you might find in these resources includes, but is not limited to:

• Posting and notice requirements
• Hiring and training guidelines and checklists
• Required steps and record keeping associated with verifying eligibility to work
• Advice regarding employing minors
• Wage and hour laws regarding wages and other compensation, including, but not limited to paystub requirements, timekeeping, minimum wage, overtime, meals and breaks, seating requirements, etc.
• Exempt and non-exempt classification for applicability of state and federal wage and hour law
• Personnel documents and recordkeeping requirements, sample policies and employee handbooks
• Drugs, alcohol and smoking in the workplace
• Advice and sample policies regarding time away from work which may be legally protected, including but not limited to: military leave, family/medical and sick leaves, kin care leave, domestic violence leave, jury duty, witness duty, and more
• Advice and sample policies regarding discretionary absences such as vacations, holidays and paid time off
• Unemployment insurance
• State Disability and Paid Family Leave
• Workers' Compensation Insurance
• Health and Retirement Benefits
• Ensuring Workplace Safety
• Violence in the Workplace
• Performance Management and Employee Discipline
• Policies and Training to avoid Employment Discrimination, and Sexual Harassment
• Accommodating Disabilities in the Workplace and Understanding Accessibility
• Disciplining and Terminating at-will employees
• Privacy Requirements

RESOURCES

• American Chamber of Commerce Resources
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Employer Toolkit
• Purchasing Advantage Program - discounts for payroll, tax and compliance services.
• Shared HR 
• If you do not already have an HR consultant or attorney, below is a list of firms that specialize in employment law:
• Jackson Lewis
• Littler Mendelson
• Ogletree Deakins