In addition to daily compliance concerns, HR must also adhere to strict legal requirements that protect both employees and the organization, such as employee notifications. HR professionals spend a significant amount of time managing, distributing, and documenting employee notifications to stay compliant with general laws and company regulations, which can change every new year!
What is an Employee Notification System?
An employee notification system allows you to communicate with your audience through any channel on any device. This type of system enables real-time two-way communication to inform employees about events they care about and notify administrators of relevant updates or feedback regarding situations in their area.
The system should be able to send messages through multiple channels, including text messages, email, voice calls, social media, and more. By increasing the number of channels through which the platform can notify employees, the notification becomes more visible to the end user, ensuring they see the message and can act accordingly.
Employees expect messages from their employers about situations that affect their work life. These situations can be as routine as changing a meeting time or as critical as emergencies. Employee notifications include:
Emergencies:
Employees must be notified of emergencies affecting them. When IT systems fail or there is an unexpected power outage, an employee notification system is the only way to keep the organization safe and informed during critical situations.
Office Closures:
Office closures can happen suddenly, and failing to inform employees of these changes can lead to much frustration and inefficiency. In some cases, employees might still come in and face risky situations upon arriving at the office. An employee alert system informs them of closures early enough to avoid any undue harm and plan ahead.
Severe Weather:
Stormy weather can put employees in potentially dangerous situations. For example, heavy rain or snow can cause incredibly hazardous driving conditions for employees on their way to work. It is essential to have a solution that quickly and safely notifies employees when these situations occur and how to handle them.
What Are the Requirements for Employee Notifications?
As we enter the new year, it's important for HR departments and employers to know they are responsible for disclosing certain information to comply with various labor laws and regulations. In many cases, the Ministry of Manpower requires employers to post information for employees either online or in a highly visible public place.
For each compliance regulation, the Ministry of Manpower specifies the types of employers who must post or distribute employee notifications relevant to their workplace or workforce. For example, some notification requirements apply only to state employees and not private-sector workers. There are also notifications required only in specific industries, such as manufacturing.
When Are Employers Required to Post Employee Notifications?
Since employee notifications apply to a variety of situations, employers, and industries, there is no single compliance date for disclosure. However, employee notifications can be categorized according to these five triggering events:
Notifications at Hiring:
This can include the Marketplace Exchange Notice, required under the Affordable Care Act related to health insurance. Remember that new employees must also fill out required forms, such as the tax withholding form and the employment authorization verification form.
Notifications When Offering Health Benefits:
These notifications can include a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC), Employer Notice, Women's Health Act Notice, and Newborns' Act Notice.
Notifications Due Upon Enrollment Completion:
Among these notifications are the HIPAA Privacy Notice, COBRA General Rights Notice, Summary Plan Description (SPD), and Patient Protection Notice.
Notifications About Specific Events:
This includes life events, such as divorce—when a Qualified Medical Child Support Order Notice is needed—or loss of health insurance coverage—when an Election Notice is required.
Notifications by a Certain Date:
These notifications include everything from Creditable Coverage Notices to Summary Annual Reports of plans. Some date-specific employee disclosure requirements also involve reporting to the authorities.
What Employee Notifications Must Employers Post?
According to compliance regulations, employers must post specific posters in high-traffic areas that are clearly visible to current and prospective employees. Companies must also make these posters available digitally on the company's intranet in addition to posting them in the physical workspace.
At a minimum, these postings should include:
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
Anti-Discrimination Notice
Withholding Status
Payday Notice
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Federal Minimum Wage
Employee Polygraph Protection Act
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
You can purchase these posters from companies like the Labor Law Compliance Center, which compile all relevant compliance notifications, sometimes for as little as $10.
Features to Look for in an Employee Notification System
A robust set of features in your employee notification system is essential for quickly and efficiently informing your employees of an imminent situation. Features should include:
Two-Way Communication:
Enables sending a message to administrators in response to an initial notification or as a separate message. It also allows employees to access an emergency phone number to receive updates or provide tips about ongoing events. These messages can be crucial in reporting additional information about an event or sending a status update.
User Grouping:
The ability to sort users into groups is essential in a mass employee notification system. It assigns similar employees by department, location, or any other relevant category. Groups can also have hierarchies; for example, an office group can have several smaller groups for departments like operations, marketing, and sales.
Mobile Application:
A comprehensive employee notification system will also provide a mobile app. A well-designed mobile app will allow administrators to send alerts and monitor threats on the go. Significant events do not always occur when you are at your desk, so mobile functionality is critical for a comprehensive communication system.
Mapping Features:
Features such as geolocation enable administrators to send employee notifications to a specific area with just a few clicks. User locations are updated in real-time to ensure accurate locations and relevant alerts.
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How DocSuite HR System Can Help with Employee Notifications
A comprehensive HR management system (HRIS) like DocSuite HR can assist with employee notification requirements. Our system can:
Reminder Notifications for Important Dates:
DocSuite HR can send reminder notifications to employees about important tasks and necessary deadlines, such as submitting leave requests or announcing annual review dates.
Follow-Up on Meetings and Legal Deadlines:
The system can track regular meetings and legal deadlines for submitting reports and important documents, making these processes more effective for management.
Performance Management and Annual Reviews:
DocSuite HR provides a platform for managing annual performance review processes, including feedback, goal setting, and tracking employee progress.
Information Exchange Between Employees and Management:
The system facilitates effective and secure information exchange between employees and management, whether through internal messaging platforms or shared documents.
Using these features, the DocSuite HR system can streamline and organize employee notifications more efficiently and effectively.