The e-mail explained that people could help as they were able — purely on a volunteer basis — and that free pizza would be provided to show appreciation. There were also a few more paragraphs, but I didn’t really read much after the "free pizza" part.

 I was in our conference center for most of the next couple days, helping to prepare a shipment of the latest labor law compliance posters (you know, the laminated ones you’ve pretended to be interested in during awkward breakroom encounters). The process involved rolling the posters up and stuffing them into tubes, which were then sealed and slapped with a shipping sticker. Since the work didn’t require a great deal of concentration, the atmosphere was pretty relaxed and we got to watch DVDs on the conference center screens. The women took the helm for media selection, which meant that we rolled and stuffed to the likes of "Footloose" and "Jon Bon Jovi Live."

 Sometimes when you’re blocking out sensory information, you tend to focus on material you’d normally overlook. I became quite familiar with the content of the labor law posters, and if you haven’t updated yours in a while, you may want to do the same. Recent updates to the posters include:

• Military Leave Notice added due to Family Medical Leave Act amendment
• Federal Minimum Wage increase; 2007, 2008 and 2009 wages given
• Child Labor Law phone numbers updated and layout changed
• Indiana Minimum Wage updated on state posters to reflect new federal wage

So as I head into July 4th weekend, I just hope my festivities aren’t interrupted by Bon Jovi tunes running through my brain.

And as for your compliance needs: You might be thinking, “I don’t have to get new posters. It’s My Life.” However, not having updated posters is against the law. You’re Livin’ on a Prayer if you don’t have them displayed, and getting nabbed for it can be a shot through the heart. Bah!

There is good news though. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has a program that is here to help out Indiana employers. Ready Indiana is a free service that provides information to employers making it easier for businesses to identify their workforce training needs, choose quality training providers and investigate employer training grants to cut their training costs. Ready Indiana is also well versed in advising employers about potential state grants for workplace training.

Would you expect a service that offers training assistance to be free? Many employers don’t expect a service like this to have no charge. So visit the Ready Indiana website and look around. I promise you’ll like what you see.

Did I mention it’s free?

It marked one of the last duties Tom will have for a while, as he took off for sunny California earlier this week to spend some much deserved vacation time with his family.  Before he left, he talked to everyone in our department to go over what we should be doing until he returns.

It’s funny; I don’t remember roller-chair rallies or office twister being on the list.

Seriously though, it looks like I’m more or less in charge of myself now that Tom, who was more or less in charge of me, happens to be 1947.3 miles away (more or less).

Now, my mother will tell you that I do possess a mischievous streak. She’s gotten rather good at deploying the “don’t even think about it” look when she can see my wheels turning (nonverbal communication at its best), but while I might be a handful at home from time to time, I know that the workplace is obviously a place for work.

Apparently, this opinion isn’t very popular among many Hoosiers, who waste more hours per day (2.8) than employees in every other state besides Missouri. This was found in a study by America Online and Salary.com, which also shows that Indiana loses $25.1 billion in wasted-time salary a year. 

If you’re reading this, Tom, you can be rest assured that your employees are not contributing to Indiana’s abysmal work behavior. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’m next in line for the slip n’ slide.

What’s more, each employee I talked to during my visit stressed how much the open door policy with management creates an atmosphere of teamwork rather than giving them an ominous Big Brother complex.

Speaking with HR director Dennis Rohrs was especially eye-opening as he beamed about the pride he feels in working with the caliber of people he does. Although, he noted this as a benefit from a very thorough hiring process, which includes such evaluations as the NFL-adopted Wonderlic test. I guess if it was effective enough to motivate the Colts to take Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf, it’ll serve Fort Wayne Metals just fine when considering applicants.

For more about this company that was recently honored as a Top 15 finalist in our Best Places to Work contest, see here.

Any business with employees must have a system in place for handling payroll activities, which includes paying employees, filing all necessary government forms, and paying taxes promptly. There are numerous aspects to payroll, particularly in larger companies with full-time and part-time employees plus independent contractors. Here are 10 of the most common payroll mistakes to be aware of:

1. Missing deadlines

2. Misclassifying workers

3. Neglecting to send 1099s

4. Poor record keeping and data entry

5. Not properly handling garnishments, levies, or child support

6. Miscalculating overtime pay

7. Leaving too much responsibility to the software program

8. Not saving payroll records

9. Not maintaining confidentiality

10. Not having adequate backup

Additionally, those looking for a tangible resource regarding wage and hour laws in Indiana can benefit from the Indiana Chamber’s Wage & Hour Guide, and have this important information at your fingertips.

Coverage is provided by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and sponsored by the state. Also noteworthy is that individual contributions are based on a percentage of gross family income and employers who do not offer health coverage can pay up to one half of an employee’s required contribution.

For more information about HIP, call (877) GET-HIP-9.

After a few nudges from mom, my daughter created her free student account, searched for and applied to four internships on Indiana INTERNnet. Within 48 hours, she heard back from all of the employers and ulitmately was offered an internship with Scott A. Jones. 

Indiana INTERNnet’s online matching system connects students and employers for internship opportunities, and as a complement to the matching system, Indiana INTERNnet offers free internship program assessments to employers wishing to implement or enhance existing internship programs. Addtionally, employer workshops are being hosted throughout the state over the next 60 days. 

Is your company planning to host interns this summer? If so, we’d like to hear from you and your interns. Post internship comments and questions on this blog today and inspire other Indiana employers to follow your lead of keeping the workforce talent in the Hoosier state. 

There are many Hoosiers with a vested interest in overcoming the challenges — such as 651,000 workers with no college education and earning less than a living wage.

Two names at the top of that list of interested parties are Thomas Snyder, president of Ivy Tech Community College, and Teresa Voors, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Snyder and Voors, along with Mark Lawrance (a Chamber senior vice president who oversaw the study in his role as head of the Chamber Foundation) are taking the message around the state. Audiences in Bloomington, Evansville, Fort Wayne and South Bend have heard about the needs, what the state is already doing well and how public and private sector leaders are working together to craft additional solutions.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette and the South Bend Tribune report on the recent visits to their communities. Gary and Indianapolis are among the upcoming stops.

Contact Lawrance to learn about the study and what many are saying is the No. 1 long-term challenge facing our state.

Be sure you have a policy in place to meet the needs, or at least "wants," of your staff. Page 129 of the Indiana Chamber’s Model Employee Policies for Indiana Employers addresses telecommuting policy, and the entire book also provides detailed sample policies that could work for your business.

Written by Bose McKinney & Evans, this book is designed to help employers understand the legal implications of an organization’s written policies and procedures, the costs and benefits of placing informal practices in an employee handbook and how to communicate an organization’s values and goals. It includes a compilation of legal commentary as well.