NYS Wage and Hour "Customer" Service

Have you ever called the local (Syracuse) office of the NYS Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division?

It's about a pleasant experience as going to the dentist for a root canal or tooth extraction. 

You dial the number (315) 428-4057 and get a voice recording that says "You have reached the New York State Department of Labor....." and goes on to give you information and options such as for information on unemployment press 1, human rights press 3, and so on.  Pretty standard stuff for the press this get that systems.  Whoever did the recording sounds bored beyond belief and gives you the impression it was a chore to even speak. 

Although we don't expect the same excited tone you would use if you won the Powerball, couldn't you at least work up some enthusiasm and at least give the caller the impression you were glad they called?  After all, it is our tax dollars that pay your salary and allow you to have that generous benefits package.

When you finally do get a human on the phone, let me rephrase that, someone who is alive, they don't identify themselves and if you ask their name, they begrudgingly give it.  I ask for their name so I can at least try to be personal about the conversation and say their name; they act like I'm doing an inquisition.

So you tell them what you are calling about and sometimes you will get a sigh...like you are bothering them.  When they do finally answer their tone most often gives you the impression that you are stupid and shouldn't even have had to ask what you are asking. 

That aside, try asking them sometime to quote you the law that governs what you are calling about.  Fat chance they will know.  More than once I have called and referenced an Article and section of the Labor Law and they usually have no clue what I am referring to.  Now I don't expect them to know everything, but at least offer to find out.

My point of this blog?  They are not service oriented, and should be.  I think they should take lessons from the local office of the federal department of labor wage and hour division.  Those folks are on the ball; always return your calls or emails and if they don't know the answer, they will find it for you.  They give excellent service. NYS, are you listening????  you should.....

Have a very Merry Christmas and a good start to 2013!

Wage Theft...Gimme a Break

Wage Theft Prevention Act - WTPA 

What is this Wage Theft Prevention Act stuff? 

It is a New York State debacle of, as Billy Fucillo would say, that is HUGE.  However its hugeness is not a good thing, like Billy’s sales and deals are.

Let’s break it down:

Wages = monies people get paid to work

Theft = the action or crime of stealing

Prevention = stopping something from happening

Act = doing something, taking action

So, we have the Act of Preventing the Theft of employee Wages.  Thought about literally, our illustrious politicians introduced and passed a law to prevent employers from stealing their employee’s wages.  Are you kidding me?  They are going to steal something that they gave them in the first place? Give me a break.

This Act requires employers to fill out a form to tell employees how much they earn. Really? You mean employees can’t be responsible enough to look at their paychecks to figure that out?

Not only do you have to give employees this form when they are hired, you have to give it to them all over again in January of every year.  And if you don’t otherwise notify them in writing when you change their wage, you have to notify them again at that time.

But New York State makes it easy for us; they give us multiple choice.  We have several forms to chose from.  So be careful to select the right one or the DOL will be after you.

And if you don’t notify your employees, in the right way, at the right times, with the right forms, you pay a fine.

What a wonderful source of revenue for New York State.  Come on New York please spend your time on something more important like ensuring your wage and hour division Department of Labor reps and investigators develop a personality and receive some sensitivity training.

Next blog:  The "Happy Campers" that staff the Syracuse office of the New York State Department of Labor wage and hour division

Human Resources Consultant

Welcome!  Welcome to my very first blog post ever.  I am psyched to be here and to be adding to the already extensive blog traffic on the Internet. 

I have spent the last 11 years as an unemployed human resources professional.  Or at least one person I encountered years ago would think that.  Ever have a conversation that stays in your mind forever?   The conversation that incited me to write this blog post was one of those.

It was early in 2003.  I had been in business for over a year and a half at that time.  Although I had a couple of decades of human resources experience behind me, including management, I was still getting my feet wet as a consultant.  I met with the HR Manager of a local plastics manufacturing company.  We were sitting in his office, having a conversation about my background. I was extolling my own virtues by describing my extensive background in HR, including several years in manufacturing. I told him I had my PHR certification, and my Masters Certificate from Cornell, as well as a Bachelor’s degree which I had just recently obtained.  You see, I was pretty proud of my accomplishments, and very proud that I had started my own business and was paying the bills with that income!

Back to Mr. HR Manager, aka Mr. Rude.  He looked straight at me and said “A HR Consultant is nothing more than an unemployed human resources person.”  I am thinking…”did I just hear what I thought I heard”?  Yup, I did.  However, I continued to be proud of myself and didn’t skip a beat.  I continued on with our conversation, left, and never looked back.

So what is the lesson to be learned from this?  Go ahead and let yourself be put down, but be the professional you know you can be and rise above the rude and insensitive people you will encounter on life’s path.

My human resources consulting business has, for the last 11 years, and I hope for the next 11 years, let me take some pretty exciting paths.  It is a heady feeling to know I am making a difference in the world and helping people run their business.

More to come in future blogs about the myriad of things I encounter.  So many HR people could write a book, and I am one of them.  My future blogs will also include useful human resources information, including compliance related data.

 

Until next time.... Kathy Barany, Strategic Management Solutions.   www.sms-hr.com