1. Hiring too quickly. Poorly chosen new hires cost your company both time and money. Consider trying out new people as contractors before hiring them as regular employees. See Chapter 7: Independent Contractors and Temporary/Part-Time Employees

2. Just paying everyone a salary. Who wants to deal with timecards and calculating overtime pay? Under law, certain employees who don’t qualify for an exemption are entitled to overtime pay, and can’t agree to forego overtime pay in exchange for receiving a salary. Additionally, hourly rates of skilled workers are often comparable with those of full-time staff in the same position. See Chapter 14: Wage and Hour Requirements

3. Thinking you don’t need to spend the time and money on harassment training for all staff. A study estimated that it is 34 times more expensive for employers to ignore workplace harassment than it is for them to establish effective programs and policies to minimize harassment in the workplace. See Chapter 24: Workplace Harassment

The Indiana Chamber’s newly released Employment Law Handbook (Sixth Edition) contains guidance on nearly every issue an Indiana employer needs to know about. From discrimination to post-hire employment policies to benefits to worker’s compensation, you’ll find guidance in this publication.

The Economic Club of Indiana has been doing its thing - bringing in nine thought-provoking speakers for a series of monthly luncheons between September and May - since 1974. A who’s who of Central Indiana business leaders has voluntarily guided the organization’s efforts over those years.

But who have been the most popular speakers? George Schultz, secretary of state at the time, attracted a record crowd of 2,400 in 1985. Other Cabinet officials (Donald Regan and Dick Cheney), presidential hopefuls (the elder George Bush, Ross Perot and Steve Forbes) and numerous media figures have come to Indiana to test their ideas and share their insights.

Two national thought leaders - Steven F. Hayward and Walter Williams - will take to the stage on April 29 and May 9, respectively. And work is under way on the lineup for 2008-2009. The Indiana Chamber serves as the administrative arm of the Economic Club operation.