Tips About Dealing with Problems When There Is No HR

Tips About Dealing with Problems When There Is No HRTips About Dealing with Problems When There Is No HRHow can employees deal with issues and problems when there is no Human Resources staff to confide in and seek help or assistance in addressing common problems. Is it even legal for a retail store not to have an HR department? These questions were asked by a reader and, as often is the case, you may seek these answers, too. Problems With Not Providing HR in an Organization Its certainly possible and more common than it should be for companies of any sort to reach 50 employees withno dedicated HR part. And, unfortunately, many companies that do begin to have HR at about that stage, do so by saying, Hey, Jane, youre now in charge of HR. Jane became in charge of HR usually because she was already performing some HR functions such as paying employees, often from the finance department. Jane has no real training in HR, but she says, What the heck, this is easy enough. Hiring, firing. Got it. HR does far more than that, but without an experienced person on board, its tough to know what you need to do. Only an experienced HR person understands and can accomplish the full breadth of the job. For instance, several laws kick in when you employ 50 people, like theFamily Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Once you have 50 employees within a 50 miles radius, youre subject to those laws, even if no one knows what they are or how to administer them. Of course, you, as an employee, cant make your bosses see the value in a dedicated HR manager, but just because there isnt one, doesnt mean that the functions arent done. For instance, just because you have no HR manager doesnt mean that if you have a baby or get cancer, you arent entitled to take up to 12 weeks off for recovery. If your coworker is sexually harassing you, the company is still obligated to stop the harassment, even without an HR manager to conduct the investigation. In other words, not having an HR manager is a pain i n the neck for the management team, but it shouldnt be for the employees. It doesnt always work correctly (and, that is why you should think about dedicated HR before you reach 50 employees), which can leave the employees feeling they have nowhere to turn. What to Do if You Have No HR Manager Heres what you can do in this situation. Remember that HR is never the boss. While its nice to have an HR manager, they arent the saviors for bad management. A good HR manager will listen to employees, investigate problems, and ensure proper application of all relevant laws. But, an HR manager only has as much power as her boss gives her. So, if an HR manager says to the boss, The scheduling is unfair and a violation of federal law because men are given the best shifts, and the boss says, Well, I dont care, theres nothing she can do about it other than report it to the proper federal or state agency. You can do this as well. You can report problems to your boss. In many companies, even with HR departments, thefirst step for any problem is the direct supervisor and then the bosss boss. In your case, since there is no HR department at all, you must use this reporting technique. If your direct supervisor is the problem, you can report the issue to her boss, all the way up to the president of the company. If the company president wont address the problem, remember, he wouldnt do it if an HR manager existed either. Educate yourself. While HR managers are really there to protect the business, good ones know that a business is most successful when the employees are treated well. Without that help, you can feel alone. Its possible to educate yourself on your rights. Start with the HR content on TheBalanceCareers.com. Another source that is highly recommended is employment attorney, Donna Ballmans book, Stand Up For Yourself Without Getting Fired Resolve Workplace Crises Before You Quit, Get Axed or Sue the Bastards. Ballmans book should be on every employees bookshelf, but es pecially on yours, since you have no HR department. Ask management who the dedicated HR person is. While there isnt an HR manager, somebody has to do those tasks. Somebody has to make job offers and determine salaries. Someone has to fill out the leave of absence paperwork. Somebody has to make the decision on company health insurance. That person should be the most knowledgeable about what is going on, even if she isnt well versed in what an HR manager should do. Go ahead and speak to that person about your concerns and questions. You may find that their experience can help you. Hopefully, the management at your company will realize that whatever money they save by not paying for an HR manager, they are losing in not having a skilled person running the people side of things. Just one lawsuit can cripple a small business, possibly forever- far more than paying a professional to handle the HR tasks. - - - - - - - - - - - - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance journalist specializing in Huma n Resources. Suzannes work has been featured on notes publications including Forbes, CBS, Business Insider and Yahoo.