An overflow crowd gathered Tuesday evening in the community hall of The Strand for a very informative workshop hosted by the LCSC and LDC on the topic of HR in 2017 – Best Practices and Compliance.

In his opening remarks, Rabbi Moshe Z. Weisberg stressed that HR is the abbreviation for Human Resources and sometimes the word “human” gets lost in the thicket of compliance and regulations. He stressed that from a ethical and community perspective, treating employees with fairness, dignity and respect is not just a legal requirement but, more importantly, a moral obligation. He reminisced about a story he witnessed in his youth that Rabbi Aron Kotler, Zt”l made a special effort to thank and wish Good Shabbos to the yeshiva’s cook (Mrs. Berman, an elderly widow) by entering the kitchen and cheering her up with a warm Good Shabbos before beginning his own meal with the Bochrim (students).

The HR program continued with detailed and very informative presentations by a panel of experts comprised of Alan Hahn Esq., Mr. Jason Pruzansky Esq. and Mrs. Penina Haikins. All are leaders in their fields with vast experience and expertise. Mr. Hahn and Mr. Pruzansky are both attorneys in the prestigious law firm of Davis and Gilbert LLP in Manhattan, with areas of specialty in Labor & Employment and  Benefits and Compensation issues. Mrs. Haikins is the Director of PH Resources, a leading local HR consulting firm. We thank them all for volunteering to participate.

Mr. Alan Hahn began by providing an overview and outline of the different areas of compliance a business must be aware of and become knowledgeable in. Mr. Jason Pruzansky spoke about labor and employment issues such as Employee Handbooks, Job Descriptions, Overtime pay, and classification of employees (i.e. Independent contractor vs. Employee). Mr. Hahn followed with a discussion on Compensation and Employee Benefits compliance such as Health Care, 401(k), ERISA and the requirements of administering these plans.

Mrs. Haikins spoke of the general HR responsibilities related to hiring and maintaining employees. The application process – what an employer is and is not allowed to ask in the process. Documentation – what documents an employer must have and keep on file and for how long. Other topics included Payroll, Termination and Audits. She concluded by highlighting the key areas businesses must be aware of – FLSA, FMLA, ACA and industry specific laws and staying current on the laws and regulations enforced by such agencies as OSHA, INA, DOL, IRS and others. A comprehensive handout was provided to all attendees.

The LCSC thanks the Lakewood Development Corporation for their continual support and funding of the BusinessLinks series of Networking Events. David Klein, the Executive Director of the LDC, stated “the topic of the event, Human Resources in 2017, is very apropos. The smashing success and capacity attendance is an attestation to how Lakewood businesses look to be the model for proper execution of HR compliance and administration”.

Others business services offered by the LCSC include assistance with applying for UEZ Microloans. These loans are designed for small business growth and can be granted to businesses seeking to establish, expand, or redevelop their companies. Businesses can apply for loans of up to $35,000, at an interest rate of 3.5%, and a repayment period of 10 years. For more information, please contact Alex Lowinger at (732) 901-6001 x 209.