Everything you need to know to make 2015 great
As things slow down at the end of the year and you're maybe taking some
time off from work, now is a good time to do a checkup on your career.
Do you know everything you need to know to make 2015 a good year? Is
there a benefit or policy you're missing out on that could make or break
you at work or financially?
Here are six things you should be checking up on to make sure your 2015 is the best year at work ever:
1. Obamacare/Affordable Care Act: Yes, I know it's Affordable Care Act
or ACA and not officially called Obamacare, but most people still know
it as Obamacare. What you need to know, especially if you're on COBRA,
is that now is the open enrollment period,
which ends February 15. If you've lost coverage at work, then you can
qualify for coverage under the Affordable Care Act. If you needed
coverage effective January 1, you may have missed your deadline,
although a number of states opted to extend
it Monday--so it's worth checking if yours is one of them. If you are
looking to switch ACA plans, enroll for the first time or switch from
COBRA, you have until February 15 to enroll.
2. Check your benefits: Your company may have an open
enrollment period for benefits. If you haven't done so already, review
your health insurance and other benefits, ask HR what other benefits may
be available, and find out when you can enroll or switch. Now is also a
good time to get copies of your Summary Plan Descriptions, which
describe, supposedly in plain English, your benefits and rights. You'll
have a Summary Plan Description available for your health care, pension,
401K, and most other benefits. If it's too late to enroll or switch
this year, calendar your deadline for 2015. Find out if your benefits
like pension, stock options and 401k employer contributions are vested.
If not, when do they vest? If you have options, when can you exercise
them? Check the value and see if you might profit by exercising them
now. What you don't know about your employee benefits can hurt you.
3. Check your handbook: When was the last time you read
the employee handbook? If yours is from 1980, ask HR for the latest
version. Your handbook contains important information, such as how to
report when you're sick, what to do if you're going to be late,
how to apply for medical leave and when you qualify, how to seek
accommodations for a disability, how to report discrimination or sexual
harassment, information about vacations and PTO, any severance policy, and the company's rules and procedures. You might be surprised what's in your handbook, such as ways the company is spying on you. Read it and be informed. It's the company's manual on how to survive your job, so it's important.
4. Get copies of your contracts: Do you know whether you have a noncompete,
confidentiality, nonsolicitation, intellectual property, arbitration or
other agreement with your employer? Most people are surprised to learn
what they signed when they started their jobs. If you don't read what
you sign, or don't keep copies, now is a good time to check with HR to
get copies. While some employees are afraid to ask, for example, for a
copy of their noncompete agreement because it might alarm HR
and make them think you're looking for a job, here's your excuse. Blame
me. Print a copy of my article and tell them you're doing your
end-of-year checkup. I've never understood HR departments that don't
insist you keep copies of what you signed. How are you supposed to know
what you're allowed to do if you don't have a copy?
5. Gather evidence: If you think you're the victim of
race, age, sex, national origin, disability, religious or other
discrimination, whistleblower retaliation or some other legal violation,
do you have your evidence where the employer can't grab it? If not,
make copies of any evidence you need (don't take trade secrets home,
please), get your notes out of your desk drawer or the company computer,
update your witness lists with any new contact information and take it
home. Put it in a safe place. If you have a notebook where you're
keeping notes, put it in your briefcase, purse or someplace where the
employer can't grab it. A locked desk drawer, your company locker, and
your company laptop are all places you may be denied access to if you're
fired.
6. Report it: If you've suffered from sexual harassment, racial, age, religious, national origin, pregnancy or other illegal workplace harassment,
think about reporting it, in writing, to HR. Don't wait until you're
disciplined or get a bad year-end review to report it. They'll just
assume you're disgruntled and making it up if you don't report it
promptly.
If you've done everything on this checklist, then you're well prepared
for 2015. You know your workplace rights and responsibilities. So relax
and have a wonderful holiday season.
One more thing, on another note: I need your vote. My blog, Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home, was named one of the American Bar Association's Blawg 100,
representing the top blogs in the legal community. Mine is the only
employee-side blog listed in the Labor and Employment category. Now
they're asking for votes for the top blog in each category. It only
takes a minute to register and vote. I'd sure appreciate your vote. Voting ends Friday.
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