Melody Beach has more than 20 years of experience in Human Resources services and began her own consulting business in 2017. She has been my eyes and ears on the ground. Many of you know her through personal introductions, and her work with me.

If you have any questions about HR issues, including policies, employee relations, employee handbooks or complying with COVID-19 restrictions, Melody can be reached at (508) 330-0343 (or) at Melody@melodybeachconsulting.com. I will bring her up to speed on all open accounts.

Thank you for your trust and support. It has been my pleasure to serve each of you.

I look forward to staying in touch. My husband and I are enjoying retirement in North Carolina. My phone number is (508) 769-2294. My personal email is nld0720@gmail.com.

With best wishes for much success in the future,

Nancy Dube

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. IT’S OFFICIAL – I HAVE FINALLY RETIRED! is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

As HR Consultants, we are helping companies get up to speed on the logistics of returning people to work.  This is new and employees have concerns about the conditions they will return too.  They also have children finishing up school and no suitable day care.  Some may even have a spouse who is out of work on a furlough or layoff.  There are many things for people to consider and employers to figure out.  In unchartered territories, this will take time.

You might be desperate for income.  If so, there are many big box stores such as Walmart who are hiring.  Also, delivery services such as UPS and FedEx are adding workers.  As the Covid-19 pandemic opens into phase 2 and phase 3, there will be jobs in hospitality, food and beverage and cleaning will not  go away.  If you really need an income, this is the recommended direction to take.  Remember it is temporary job.  If you are unemployed and need a stopgap, consider looking wherever you can find an opportunity, that makes sense for you,  it will pay the rent and put food on the table for now.

Networking is still the #1 way to find a job.  Who do you know?  What groups can you join? Do you belong to any professional groups?  Maybe a friend can hook you up!  Be professional, join the conversation and talk about topics which demonstrate your expertise.

The virtual interview is a bit different.  Find a friend and practice – practice- practice!  Set up your computer, your webcam, your lighting so you are ready.  Armed with the answers to highly anticipated questions you will ace the interview.  Research the Company.  The pandemic has put many things on hold or is making the process longer to close.  Do not be afraid to ask about the timeline.

Like any interview, it is important to follow up.  A quick note to thank the interviewer is always appreciated.  After a week or two, a phone call may be the next opportunity to connect.  Do not “what if” the situation – Believe in yourself!  Others will too.

Finally, we recommend boosting your skills by taking an online class or enrolling in a college program.  You have the time, use it wisely to be better prepared for your next opportunity.  Many community colleges offer short course in MS Office, Graphic design, computer languages, and more.  Learn how to use online resources such as Zoom, WebEx, and Skype.  During this slowdown, it is important to focus on what you can control.   Keep networking, be better prepared, and you will land a good job!

You will find additional resources at https://dubeconsulting.com/job-readiness-strategies/

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Tips for Finding a Job During the Pandemic is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

Over 5 Million More Workers File for Unemployment   

It’s time to get your resume ready!

As we prepare for that dreaded job search ahead, let’s take a fresh look at your resume.

Typically when I see a resume poorly written, it includes:

• Name, Address, Telephone Numbers, and Email Address.
• Experience – which reads like a bad job description.
• Tenses are usually mixed, and the organization is lacking.
• The fonts are all different with underlining, italics, and bold.
• There are typos, and misspelling of words.
• Education is lacking, or you have too many degrees for paper.
• Interests, affiliations, and the other cool stuff is missing.

Perhaps you have had the same job for a long time.  How do you compete?

First thing, you must understand the purpose of a resume is to get an interview!

The purpose of a resume is to attract the attention of the employer.  To impress him/her so much, that they want to have  a face-to-face  interview or a telephone interview, with you.

Peak the employer’s interest so much, they want to  learn more about your qualifications.

Next, think about the way jobs are posted.  Seldom do you look at a newspaper.   Applicant tracking systems have been around a long time.  It is unimportant to know which one, but it is mandatory the the system can read your resume!

If you are unfamiliar with proven methods, you most likely won’t get a second glance.

Over 85% of resumes are rejected within seconds, making it even more difficult to get hired.

Let’s consider these 8 easy tips, to get started:

1.  Organize content – Employer’s read the top 1/3 of your resume first.  Make it count!
2. Use a good font – Times New Roman or Arial are recommended in a 10 or 12 inch size.
3. Start with a summary – Let the employer know what you are targeting and why you are the best candidate.
4. Add accomplishments – Tell the employer all the great things you did, and why/how you did them.
5. Provide  education and/or credentials – If you have a degree it is essential to put it on your resume.  No degree, show the employer how you received the training to do the job successfully.
6. Most of all, find the right keywords – Just because you know the technical terms, doesn’t mean they convert to an applicant tracking system.  The thesaurus is my best friend.
7. Eliminate errors, spell check, and leave some white space on the paper.
8. Never write a resume over two pages.

We offer resume review/critique services ranging from $150+. (This is explaining what is missing, and general comments about the resume) If we write your resume that fee is waved.

Dube Consulting Services and Fees
• Professional resume writing
• Targeted cover letter
• Reference sheet
• Conversion of resume to ASCII (text file) or PDF for electronic distribution.

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Get Your Resume Ready! is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

Notice of Temporary Layoff or Furlough Due to Coronavirus

Dear [Employee name],

Due to the economic impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus), [Company name] is implementing measures to ensure the financial stability of the company. The current pandemic situation has impacted our business significantly, and as a result, we find that we must make some difficult personnel decisions.

Example language for a layoff:

Effective [date], [Company name] is implementing a temporary layoff of certain positions. This notice is to inform you that your position is included in this layoff, effective beginning [date]. We expect the layoff to last until at least [date]; however, we will reassess the circumstances regularly and may lessen or extend this timeframe. We will recall laid-off employees as business needs warrant based first on job function and then by seniority.

Example language for a furlough:

Effective [date], [Company name] is implementing a temporary furlough of certain nonessential positions. This notice is to inform you that your position is included in this furlough and as such, you are being placed on a temporary, unpaid leave of absence, effective beginning [date]. This furlough is expected to last through [date]. It is important to note that your employment continues to be at-will and nothing in this notice or other furlough communications is intended as an express or implied contract.

You may be eligible for unemployment benefits under these circumstances. Contact your local unemployment office for information on eligibility and applying for unemployment benefits.  Present this letter to your local unemployment office as evidence of your employment status.

[Company name] will communicate with you regularly during this period. If your personal phone number, e-mail or mailing address has changed recently, please provide your current contact information to human resources immediately. Please feel free to contact human resources at [contact information] with any questions.

If you find alternate employment during this period and do not intend to return to work at [Company name], please notify human resources immediately of your voluntary resignation.

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Sample Notice of Temporary Layoff of Furlough Due to the Coronavirus is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN NORTH CAROLINA, FOR YOUR REFERENCE, DURING THE CORONA-19 EPIDEMIC is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

Covid19: Information for Small Businesses

Communicating quickly, and often with employees to help ensure worker safety, minimize damage to your brand, return your workforce to productivity, and build trust among employees. There are more questions than answers! We are experiencing numerous calls from our clients asking, “What should we do? We must layoff some of our employees.” The simple truth is to let your employees know where they stand.

According to the Society of Human Resource Management you should:

1.“Be proactive. Anticipate and plan for crises that your organization could encounter before they happen.
2. Get a team together. During the planning phase, identify employees who will make up the crisis management team—the people who will know what to do when disaster strikes.
3. Don’t expect employees to come to you. Implement a notification system that quickly reaches out to employees with accurate information and guidance.
4. Don’t put up roadblocks. Trying to keep employees from communicating about crises via social media is futile. Instead, help them shape their messages by giving them correct information in a timely manner.
5. Act fast—but only say what you know to be true. Speed is of the essence when it comes to crisis communications, but it shouldn’t come at the price of accuracy.
6. Don’t go silent. If your organization is not yet ready to respond to an emergency, HR should at least let staffers know that the organization is gathering information and will follow up as soon as it can.
7. Test—then test again. The most well-crafted communication plan won’t be very helpful if employees have no idea what it is or how to use it. At least once a year, test the process to find out from workers what it does and doesn’t do well, and then adjust accordingly.
8. Evaluate. Post-crisis assessments are as important as pre-crisis plans. After the fact, review how the internal communication plan was executed. Determine what succeeded and what can be improved.”

According to Massachusetts Unemployment the following conditions apply to temporary shutdowns:

Workers must remain in contact with their employers during the shutdown.

Workers must be available for any work their employer may have for them that they are able to do.

An employer may request to extend the period of the covered shutdown to 8 weeks, and workers will remain eligible for the longer period under the same conditions described above.

If necessary, DUA may extend these time periods for workers and employers.

Employers who have been paying into the system for themselves (are receiving a W-2) are able to apply as well.

Currently self-employed individuals and 1099 contract employees are not eligible for unemployment benefits. If the President of the United States makes a disaster unemployment declaration for Massachusetts or nationwide, the self-employed and 1099 contractors would become eligible for unemployment assistance. This is already coded into the DUA system and would be available immediately upon declaration and press release announcement.

According to the North Carolina DES you may file for unemployment as of 3/17/2020.   DES is working to ensure that necessary unemployment insurance benefits will be available to eligible North Carolinians affected by job loss due to the COVID-19 coronavirus disease in our state.  Click here to find out more from unemployment as it becomes available.

If Dube Consulting can help you in some small way, please reach out.  (508)769-2294 or nancy@dubeconsulting.com.  Be safe!

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Covid19: Information for Small Businesses in Massachusetts and North Carolina is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

In this post, I will talk about what happens and offer some data essentials to help you better understand the work that should be done, up-front.

When you are ready to hire another employee because your workload is heavy, or you are trying to grow your business, you should consider Step #1 – Hiring an HR Consultant or Staffing Agency to help you. When you fail step #1, you miss out on the expertise involved in the hard and soft costs, including taking time away from your business. How could you possibly do that?

Let’s think about the hard costs such as a well thought out job description; determining the best places to find good candidates; where to post your job? Thoughts about pre-employment services (alcohol and drug testing); and reference and credential checks are imperative.

Step #2, when you start the hiring process you will need to establish five good behavioral interview questions. You should ask each prospect the same questions to obtain the correct answers. Step #3, do you have a job application or will you be accepting resumes only? While you are taking each one of these steps, you are facing soft costs caused by the lost productivity, increased workloads, and retraining time, which all impact your business. Step #4, you must evaluate your answers from all prospects.

The cost of turnover is a lot more than just finding a person in this tight job market. It is about the approach, the skill to drive the process efficiently, and effectively, to the offer stage, and onboarding process. In my experience most small businesses cut out most of these steps impacting the cost of turnover multiple times.

Step #5, Be Smart! Engage professional assistance to reduce your overall costs. Put more money in your pocket! In another post I will talk about retaining employees. Stay tuned.

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. The Cost of Turnover: Five Tips to Help You is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

I am looking for a Consultant to work part-time doing Business Development, prospecting, and closing Massachusetts business.
This is a commission only job. May offer base to the right person. This position may go FT, permanent once you prove your worth.
I need someone who is:
* highly-motivated
* makes a professional presence,
* has strong communication skills (and)
* possesses knowledge of business and HR.

If you, or someone you know, is interested, please email me at Nancy@dubeconsulting.com or call (508)769-2294. If you have integrity, I want to hear from you!

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Hiring Business Development is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

We have had a busy, yet amazing year! Many of you know that my husband and I relocated 750 miles to North Carolina, over the Summer. We are blessed with a new home in Newport, North Carolina very close to Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle. (Come visit!)

Bill retired this year after a lifetime of work and Military service. He is currently constructing a workshop to spend his time “playing with tools” and “making his beautiful woodworking pieces.” (Yes, he will take custom orders soon.)

Many of you know that my back has been an issue for a long time. We hope and pray that the warmer weather will help me to heal. As of this writing, I am still dealing with severe back issues. Stay tuned — I am not ready to “roll up the carpets” and retire yet! Slowing the pace has been an adjustment for me. I am still involved with many activities, but “soaking up the rays” has never been easier.

It is never easy to leave your children, although they are all grown up. We have been blessed with a visit from my son and his fiance. We are proud to announce their marriage in the Spring. My daughter, her husband, and my grand dogs have been in a bit of transition. As the year winds to a close, they are thriving, and preparing for a visit here before the holidays. Meeting and restoring Bill’s family relationships in the South has been wonderful, too.

With all this change, came the relocation of our headquarters for Dube Consulting. Melody joined me last year in November, and kept things active in Massachusetts. Kristen helped database all the contacts and get me organized for the the move. I still retain all the business files, records and connections made over a lifetime.

With this growth comes a few growing pains – I am not in your offices as often. However with today’s online technology I am still able to provide quality and customized services. We are in the process of growing “nationally,” taking on some Government work, and adding some additional support. Currently I am seeking a part-time Business Development person in Massachusetts. (Let me know if you have connections). I will continue to support our existing clients and Melody may pay you a visit if you need onsite help. Dube Consulting celebrated it’s 10th year of business, since starting up in November of 2009.

FAITH! You must hold it close and believe. Write down your intentions for the New Year. Intentions are much like goals that move you forward. Failure is not an option, call us if you need help: (508) 769-2294

Bill and I wish you and your families much happiness, health and prosperity. Let Dube Consulting be your resource for the future.

Have a happy holiday and may God be with you all!

Nancy Dube (and my supportive husband, Bill)

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Happy Holidays from Dube Consulting is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

Essential information all business owners need to know under this final rule:

• Exempt employees must earn at least $35,568 per year ($684 per week).
• Non-discretionary bonuses and incentive payments may constitute up to 10% of the standard salary threshold.

The FLSA duties test remains unchanged.

The Highly Compensated Employee (HCE) Exemption salary threshold is now $107,432 per year.

Some states and locations, such as California and New York City, have salary thresholds which are higher than the federal standard.

Updates to the salary threshold are expected to occur regularly to ensure that these levels continue to provide useful tests for exemption.

These updates will extend overtime pay protections to over one million additional workers across the country.

What should employers do to comply with the FLSA changes?

It is crucial for business owners and Human Resource professionals to review current employee classifications and pay rates to:

• Determine which employees are affected by the new rule.
• Make the necessary re-classifications and adjustments, and
• Execute an overall communication strategy to employees.

This rule may also have a ripple effect, impacting other HR related policies and practices such as employee benefits and pay compression and even employee engagement.

Be sure to maintain consistency in your pay practices.

With the recent regulatory changes affecting employee’s pay from so many different angles (minimum wage increases, mandatory sick time, employee classifications, and overtime regulations, etc.), it’s easy to take an informal approach to compliance. This approach could result in falling out of compliance with other employment law requirements. Maintaining a justifiable compensation practice is critical for both your compliance initiatives and strategies to attract and retain top talent.

At Dube Consulting, we highly recommend that employers review their compensation practices as part of the process of auditing their FLSA classifications, to ensure that they not only comply with these new employment regulations but that their overall approach to compensation and benefits remains cohesive and maintains internal and external equity.

To learn more about the FLSA overtime regulation changes, and how they will affect your organization, visit the DOL Resources page or contact us now.  We are ready to help you safeguard your business.

© Dube Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Final Rule Released Regarding FLSA Overtime Regulations is an original post from Nancy Dube, Human Resource Consultant: Dube Consulting. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Dube Consulting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.