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Services
HR Counsel designs the vital policies, systems and processes that form the foundation of a well-run HR department. Once the basics are in place, we will continue to work with your on-site HR contact to administer the processes.
We also offer senior-level HR and employment law expertise to address unanticipated personnel issues as they arise. Depending on your needs, we can help you with a single project or provide an array of HR and employment law services. Our offerings include:
Policy Development/Handbooks
Every organization with ten or more employees needs a set of written policies dealing with all matters regarding employment and other aspects of its business. Solid HR policies and a handbook for employees are essential to good management and very important to minimize risk in employment related matters. We have the expertise to put the right information into your handbook and properly develop and express your unique policies. We can work with you to review and update existing policies and/or handbooks or create new ones which are legally defensible and reflect your values, priorities, and business philosophy. Polices are written in a clear and understandable style by an experienced attorney. 
Compliance
The success of any business, large or small, ultimately rests in the effective utilization of its most valuable asset-its employees. The "people" issues facing every business grow more complex every day. Sound decisions can have a dramatic impact on an organization's success. Poor decisions can be costly. Compliance is key and the rules and regulations are constantly changing.
HR Counsel offers you an opportunity for you to find out where you stand in this heavily regulated area. Our HR Check-Up, which covers virtually every aspect of the human resource function, allows you to identify your needs and focus your actions where they will provide the most benefit. Our audit serves as an excellent risk assessment and management tool, showing areas of possible legal exposure.
The audit process involves an on-site visit and a structured interview and will be followed up with feedback addressing employee relations, best-practice and community standards. We make suggestions and give you advice on all elements of your HR practices. The HR Check-Up is both time and cost efficient. Assure your alignment with all pertinent regulatory matters and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are making the most of your most valuable resource.
Consulting HR Director
Many small companies have the need for senior level support in the Human Resources department, but do not require that assistance on a full-time basis. In response to this need, HR Counsel offers Consulting HR Director services. Acting in the role of Consulting HR Director, we oversee the operation of the Company’s human resources department, respond to HR-questions that are beyond the expertise of our clients’ human resources staff, and deliver targeted HR services in the areas of performance management, compliance, employee relations, benefits design, and compensation that are customized to the individual needs of our clients. This model works particularly well in companies where there is a full-time employee who is able to handle benefits administration and other day-to-day transactional aspects of human resources, including personnel file maintenance, processing of paperwork relating to employee promotions and transfers, and new hire orientation.
The level of service provided via the retained Consulting HR Director relationship varies, depending on our clients’ size and stage of development, as well as the skills of the internal HR department. It generally includes 10 to 20 hours of service each month, divided between time spent on-site as well as time available for telephone and email consultations to respond to issues or questions that arise between visits.
Performance Management
Every company needs a system that gives feedback to employees about their performance and the organization's expectations for their performance. We provide fully functional programs that are essential to heightened performance, productivity, and profitability. HR Counsel can work with your requirements and needs to create a Performance Appraisal System that reflects your core philosophies and beliefs. We carefully work with management to determine what method or system works best for you. We always provide managers and supervisors with training in how to use the system and in the essentials of effective performance reviews. In addition, to helping you with a performance appraisal process, we can assist you with addressing to performance issues, writing performance improvement plans and targets, and organizational benchstrength analysis and succession planning.
Turnkey HR Department
The Turnkey HR Department is a cost-effective scalable human resources solution for companies who have been operating without a dedicated human resources function. The Turnkey HR Department is designed to quickly provide you a fully functional HR department that may be maintained by your designated on-site HR contact with support as needed.
Generally, the Turnkey HR Department is developed by spending some time on-site at our client’s offices. Spending time on location allows us to become familiar with your corporate culture and any systems that you already have in place. It also enables us to build relationships with your on-site HR contact and managers who may require assistance now or in the future. After the HR processes and policies are put in place, we will be available to provide on-going support to your HR contact and management team. As in any company, complex benefit questions, performance issues, employee separations, requests for medical leave or accommodations, or other personnel issues will arise. This support may be provided on-site or by telephone consultation, depending on your needs.
Complaint Investigation and Resolution
All it takes is one disgruntled employee to disrupt a company's productivity and reputation. In an environment where there is a corporate commitment to fair and equitable treatment of all employees, a confidential and impartial party is essential. HR Counsel can provide an objective third party to investigate and respond to employee grievances and reports of discrimination and harassment. We provide counseling aimed at fair resolution while maintaining compliance with state and federal law.
Recruiting/Staffing
In order to be successful, you need to match the right people with the jobs you are seeking to fill. Before a job is even posted, much thought should be devoted to ensuring that an accurate job description for the position exists, identifying the proper medium for locating the best candidates; e.g., web, print, contingency recruiters, and having an efficient internal system for reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates-often the most overlooked element of this process. After working with you to develop a recruiting strategy that meets your needs, HR Counsel will help you develop the following key elements of an efficient recruiting program:
• Hiring Plan
• Candidate Selection Process
• Employee Referral Program
• New Employee Orientation Programs
• New Hire Processes
Terminations/Reductions in Force
Unfortunately, it is a business reality that not all employees hired into an organization turn out to be solid contributors, even if a careful hiring and selection process was utilized. If you need to terminate an employee, you want to make sure that you do it in a way that will preserve his or her dignity and that will protect the physical and intellectual property of the organization and minimize legal exposure.
Reductions in force can be even trickier than individual terminations because of the logistics involved and the effect on the remaining employees within the organization, There may be no "good" way to terminate an employee or conduct a reduction in force, but there are definitely practices you want to avoid if you want to stay out of court and maintain the good will of your company. HR Counsel will assist you in preparing for terminations and reductions in force and sensitively address concerns of management relating to their employees.
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Policy Development/Handbooks