November Newsletter – 2024

Creating a Culture of Gratitude: Practical Steps for Everyday Appreciation

Building a culture of gratitude in the workplace goes beyond holiday shout-outs—it’s about weaving appreciation into the fabric of daily operations. Here’s how you can make gratitude a lasting part of your company culture:

🍂 Lead by Example: Set the tone by consistently recognizing your team’s efforts. A quick “thank you” or team-wide acknowledgment from leadership shows that appreciation is a priority.

🍂 Start Meetings with Gratitude: Kick off meetings with a quick round of thanks for recent wins or contributions. It’s a simple way to boost morale and keep appreciation front and center.

🍂 Celebrate Small Wins: Big achievements are great, but everyday efforts deserve acknowledgment, too. Regularly celebrate small wins to show employees their work is noticed and valued.

🍂 Personalize Your Approach: Recognition works best when it’s meaningful to the individual. Some prefer public praise, others a quiet note—tailor your appreciation to make it more impactful.

🍂 Encourage Peer Recognition: Peer-to-peer appreciation is powerful. Create a space—like a “kudos” board or Slack channel—where teammates can celebrate each other’s contributions.

🍂 Keep it Consistent: Gratitude should be woven into ongoing practices, like performance reviews or weekly meetings. Over time, these small gestures make appreciation a lasting part of your workplace.

When gratitude is part of everyday operations, employees feel valued and motivated. By fostering this culture, you’re investing in happier, more engaged teams—and ultimately, a stronger business. Learn More about supporting your employees.

HR Legal Updates: Key Changes You Need to Know

✔️ CA Intersectionality Legislation
On September 27, 2024, California Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1137, clarifying that discrimination can occur based on an intersection of protected characteristics. This amendment extends protections under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Education Code, and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) by incorporating “intersectionality.”

✔️ Updated ACA Affordability Threshold
The IRS announced on September 6, 2024, that the ACA affordability threshold will rise from 8.39% for 2024 to 9.02% for 2025, impacting the cost at which self-only coverage must be available under group health plans to avoid employer penalties.

✔️ FTC Noncompete Rule Update
As of October 4th, the plaintiff in the Pennsylvania case challenging the FTC’s noncompete rule has dismissed their lawsuit. This leaves two pending lawsuits in Florida and Texas, while the rule remains enjoined nationwide.

✔️ SCOTUS to Review Demotion Bias Case
The U.S. Supreme Court will review a lawsuit involving a former Ohio Department of Youth Services worker who claims she was demoted for being heterosexual, while LGBTQ candidates were promoted. This case challenges the requirement for “majority” Americans to show “background circumstances” to pursue discrimination claims.

✔️ Introducing E-Verify+
USCIS has launched E-Verify+, which combines Form I-9 and E-Verify into a streamlined digital process. After accepting a job offer, employees will use a secure E-Verify+ account to submit their information. This service simplifies verification and allows employees to save their information for future employers. Note that E-Verify+ is not yet available for certain employer categories and does not replace Form I-9.

Have questions or need guidance on these updates? Contact Gotcha Covered HR Powered by Delta Administrative Services today for expert support!