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First Annual Plymouth County Senior Spectacular Expo on June 20, 2013

The Plymouth Networking Group, an organization of business professionals committed to providing care to seniors and other individuals in the Greater Plymouth area, announces the First Annual Plymouth County Senior Spectacular Expo to be held on June 20, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Plymouth Council on Aging, 44 Nook Road. The Senior Spectacular Steering Committee members include: 2 Sisters Senior Living Advisors; Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department; Old Colony Elder Services; North River Home Care; Age in Place New England; Life Care Center of Plymouth; EasCare Ambulance Service; Visiting Angels; Spaulding Rehabilitation Network; Cahoon Care; and Gentiva Home Health.

Seniors, their families and caregivers are invited to explore, connect and enjoy this free event which will showcase senior resource agencies and dozens of vendors offering services of interest to seniors such as organizing and relocation services, legal and financial resources, senior travel specialists, pet-sitting and other in-home service options. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department will be able to provide Senior ID’s as well as present information on Identity Theft and Scams. Reiki, vision and hearing screenings and other demonstrations will round out this exciting event.

Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in raffles and enjoy refreshments including a complimentary box lunch. For more information please visit: www.plymouthnetworking.com or contact Beth Hadfield at the Plymouth Council on Aging at (508) 830-4230.

About OCES

Founded in 1974, OCES serves 20 towns in Plymouth County as well as Avon, Easton and Stoughton. OCES is a private, non-profit organization located in Brockton and designated as one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The organization’s mission is to support the independence and dignity of elders and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living.

The agency has 169 employees and operates more than 15 programs serving elders, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org.

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HR Knowledge advises on when and how to outsource human resources

Jeff Garr, CEO

Juggling the needs of your business with business tasks can be a delicate balancing act. Whether you elect to do things in-house or outsource tasks such as human resources depends partially upon the company’s growth, and partially upon finding excellent outsourcing partners.

Jeffrey C. Garr, CEO of HR Knowledge, Inc., a leading HR, payroll and benefits service provider in the Boston area explained, “As a company grows, it’s important to know when to look for support outside of the company. This is referred to as outsourcing. Knowing your strengths helps you to determine what aspects of your business can be outsourced to a specialist, which ultimately saves you time and money in the long run.”

There are five keys to understanding when and how to outsource human resources for success:

1. Know your core value proposition. The first step to intelligently delegating work outside your company is understanding what you do best. This is your core value proposition. Many of the things that are important to running a business will pull your attention and focus away from the core value, and understanding it and knowing what it is that you do best will help your company grow and will also define those things that should be done within the company versus those activities that potentially could be outsourced.

2. Be organized. Before you can delegate you must create the specification of work. The extent in which you can clearly delineate the scope of the project or work will define how successful you will be. In addition, you should create a timetable for deliverables, a template for reporting, and an exit strategy if the relationship isn’t functioning the way you feel it should be. Not creating a clear understanding in the beginning could be a recipe for failure in the future.

3. Know Your Budget. Your time is valuable. You’re more likely productive at your core value proposition that you are to some of the supporting roles that are necessary to run a business. To that extent, outsourcing will actually save you money since you can be much more proficient doing what you do best and simply paying others to do what they do best.

4. Make a Plan. Authorized alterations can be expensive. If you have plan, try to stick to the plan. Each modification that sounds great as the project moves along may wind up costing in the end. Be sure that you have a goal and plan in mind and that you and your outsourced vendor are both sticking to that plan.

5. Don’t Settle. If you aren’t happy with the results or the partnership, it’s possible you missed one of the steps along the way – you may not have made a good plan, or you may not have clearly shared expectations. Either way, if it becomes apparent that the project is not progressing well, you should have an exit plan.

Garr continued, “Understanding and sharing expectations when it comes to outsourcing is critical for the relationship to be effective.”

About HR Knowledge, Inc.

HR Knowledge, Inc. is a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the Northeast. HR Knowledge has the experience and technology to efficiently provide best-in-class integrated HR services at an affordable cost to clients.

HR Knowledge’s leaders have more than 100 years of combined experience and provide expert guidance in Human Resource management, Group Benefits Brokerage, Payroll Processing & Managed Services, Financial Services and Recruiting and Hiring Process Management (HPM).

Through their comprehensive Human Resource Services, HR Knowledge helps organizations minimize operational risks, reduce administrative costs and better serve their people.

HR Knowledge has been recognized as a Gold Level Broker by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. The company is headquartered at 905B South Main Street, Suite 203 in Mansfield and their second office is located at 890 Winter Street, Suite 208 in Waltham, MA. For more information, contact (508) 339-1300 or visit their website at www.hrknowledge.com

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1603 Grant Program Not Extended -Rodman & Rodman CPAs Provide Insight on the Effect on Smaller Projects

A few weeks ago, Congress had an opportunity to boost the renewables economy by passing an amendment that would extend the 1603 Grant Program for another year. The failure of this legislation to pass (by a 49-49 Senate vote) is disappointing to those who are involved in the renewable energy arena.

According to Steve Rodman, CPA, MST, president of Rodman & Rodman, P.C. providers of Green Energy financial/accounting services and business strategy for solar, wind, biomass, and cleantech companies, “The loss of this source of grant money will create new challenges for the future. The renewable energy economy is not completely felled by the expiration of the 1603. The program reverts back to the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) through 2016, which allows for a 30 percent tax credit (instead of the cash grant) for certain renewable energy projects. However, making use of the credit can be very difficult with small and medium sized projects.”

Rodman, who is a member of the New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) and Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) continued, “It is rare that the smaller developer would have the tax appetite. For example, a $2 million project generates a $600,000 credit which is a lot of tax credit to make use of for the typical regional developer. The 30 percent cash grant in lieu of the credit didn’t cost the government any more than some bank interest, but certainly made financing a project much more practical. Now the developer will likely need to find an investor for the project who is interested in being allocated the tax credits in exchange for his investment dollars.”

To sum it up:

· Large banks that participate this way on utility scale deals are not interested in a few million dollars of credits, never mind a $2 million project that generates $600,000 of credits.

· Smaller institutions typically don’t have the experience with this type of investment.

· High net worth individuals need to have substantial “passive” income to qualify. This precludes those investors with large salary, interest and dividend income from qualifying as those types of income are not considered passive and the ITC cannot offset taxes from active and portfolio income.

“The growth in the industry over the last few years can be directly traced to the incentives programs like the ITC and the 1603 Program. The challenges from expiration of the grant program will be overcome with creativity and education of the capital marketplace. But there will be a slowdown until this fully evolves,” Rodman concluded.

About Rodman & Rodman P.C.

Founded in 1961, Rodman & Rodman, P.C. provides accounting, tax and business services to small and medium-sized companies throughout New England. With a focus on strategic planning, Rodman & Rodman goes beyond traditional accounting services and takes a proactive approach when serving clients to increase, preserve and sustain clients’ financial net worth. The company is Green Business Certified and in 2010 and 2011 was named one of the “Best Accounting Firms to Work For” in Accounting Today. Rodman & Rodman is listed in the Boston Business Journal’s “Top 50 Firms”.

From business valuations, taxation, audits, fraud detection and prevention services and succession planning to a variety of accounting IT services including software selection, implementation and training, the team at Rodman & Rodman serves as comprehensive advisors to clients. For individual clients, the company offers personal advisory services such as planning for real estate transactions, obtaining financing, estate planning and retirement planning as well as planning for college education. The Rodman & Rodman Green Team is a specialized green energy and clean technology accounting and tax services practice within Rodman & Rodman, P.C.

Rodman & Rodman, P.C. are located at 3 Newton Executive Park in Newton and 25 Braintree Hill Office Park in Braintree, MA. For more information, email info@rodmancpa.com, visit their website at www.rodmancpa.com or contact (617) 965-5959.

Steve Rodman, CPA, MST

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HR Knowledge Inc. Advises Small Business Owners to Brush Up on the Law

Jeffrey Garr

Employees today are well aware of their rights in the workplace. As a small business owner, are you aware of their rights? HR Knowledge, Inc., providers of integrated HR, payroll and benefits services serving organizations throughout the Northeast with offices located in the Boston metro area, advises small businesses of the importance of knowing employee rights and offers three tips for getting “in the know”.

According to Jeffrey C. Garr, CEO of HR Knowledge Inc., “Employers are not always knowledgeable of their employees’ rights. We find this to be more common in small business. As a matter of fact I just learned of an employer that requires their employees sign an agreement at hire that they cannot take a lunch break or coffee break at any time during the day. They must work their full eight hours daily without any breaks. This is in clear violation of the law, namely that those employees are allowed a minimum of two 10 minute breaks every four hours worked. ”

He continued,”Most employers are good employers; it is the few that treat their employees terribly that affect the rest of us. Nonetheless laws are laws.”

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) is the state’s Chief Civil Rights Agency. Essentially, this government body ensures that all businesses within the State of MA are compliant in their employment of employees. Any employee who feels they have been discriminated against may file a “Charge” or a “Complaint” against that employer at MCAD. Most all complaints must be filed within 300 days of the alleged infraction.

Unfortunately, what small business owners don’t know can hurt them when it comes to employment laws and regulations. Ignorance is not bliss nor is it accepted as an excuse when in violation of the law. If you are caught not following process/procedure/law it can be costly. It is imperative to have the proper “blocking and tackling” in place as an employer to prevent frivolous lawsuits from occurring.

There are attorneys who would be thrilled to take on a case where employee rights have been violated. They take the case on “contingency” which means the employee has legal representation at no cost to them. The attorney is confident enough in the case that he/she will represent the employee on a percentage of the settlement. The employer has to pay for their own legal representation, which can cost thousands of dollars and settlements can be in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

Garr offers 3 key tips to small business owners:

Obtain proper training. Business owners and any staff that supervises employees should be enrolled in an HR training program. The program should teach key components of effective management of employees and employee rights.

Obtain an HR Audit for your small business. A complete and thorough HR Audit will identify where an employer is not compliant or is at risk. This audit should review your employee handbook, process, procedures for hiring, firing, interviewing, reviews, job descriptions and much more.

Consider Employment Practice Liability Insurance. This is the only liability insurance that will protect an employer from lawsuits in the workplace as discussed in this article. Without this insurance the employer stands alone in claims made against them.

About HR Knowledge, Inc.

HR Knowledge, Inc. is a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the Northeast. HR Knowledge has the experience and technology to efficiently provide best-in-class integrated HR services at an affordable cost to clients. HR Knowledge’s leaders have more than 100 years of combined experience and provide expert guidance in Human Resource management, Group Benefits Brokerage, Payroll Processing & Managed Services, Financial Services and Recruiting and Hiring Process Management (HPM). Through their comprehensive Human Resource Services, HR Knowledge helps organizations minimize operational risks, reduce administrative costs and better serve their people.

HR Knowledge has been recognized as a Gold Level Broker by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. The company is headquartered at 905B South Main Street, Suite 203 in Mansfield and their second office is located at 890 Winter Street, Suite 208 in Waltham, MA. For more information, contact (508) 339-1300 or visit their website at www.hrknowledge.com

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Jeff Garr CEO of HR Knowledge featured on MO.com

‎”Starting a business is no easy task, and once started the next 3-5 years will test you like you have never been tested in business” – Jeff Garr. Read his interview at MO.com http://www.mo.com/jeffrey-c-garr-hr-knowledge-inc

Jeff Garr, CEO

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New Year, New Resolution for Hiring Managers: Improve Interview Techniques to Reduce Cost

Job interviews can be stressful on new hire candidates, but they also put pressure on the hiring manager. The cost of making a “bad hire” decision incurs the obvious expenses of salary and benefits, but there are also hidden costs. Time invested in training and lost time in finding the right candidate (which can takes months) cannot be recouped.

HR Knowledge, Inc. a leading human resources Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the East Coast with offices in Mansfield and Waltham, share their “Top 5 Tips for Successful Interview” techniques.

Many Human Resource Managers begin with the resumé and ask questions to determine what the skill set may have been for jobs listed on the resumé. Carefully listening to the answers may indicate a situation where the candidate has inflated the resumé or listed positions in the background that have been glamorized. Asking closed ended questions that have yes or no responses may not ferret these errors out, and it may not be assumed that these omissions will be picked up in a background check.

There are some simple, logical tips that can be used during a job interview to discern the credibility of the candidate. Here are the Top 5:

1. Ask open ended questions. Follow up with questions that will shed light on areas where there may be inconsistencies.

2. Look for eye contact. When applicants stretch the truth, they typically break eye contact or look away.

3. Nervous twitches or tics may give away the false answers. Switching crossed legs, leg shaking, toe tapping, finger drumming… are all indications that the candidate is uncomfortable. Looking into this discomfort may reveal areas of potential deception.

4. Evaluate the candidate’s handshake. It may seem trivial, but a firm and direct handshake are important. A limp or moist handshake are giveaways that the candidate may be insecure with their presentation to you.

5. Obvious factors such as chewing gum or inappropriate attire during an interview are tip-offs that the candidate does not take the position seriously. Unless you want to have ongoing problems with lateness or unprofessional representation, you may want to skip these candidates.

According to Jeff Garr, CEO of HR Knowledge, “Searching for great employees is more than evaluating the resumé. Hiring the right person is important for the morale of the existing employees as well. The old adage “you are known for the company you keep” extends to the workplace. As each new hire represents your company, it’s important to assess them on the basis of their skills, but also how they will fit into your corporate culture and ultimately, how they will represent your company and your brand.”
For more information about compensation, HR and or benefits contact Jeff Garr, CEO at HR Knowledge or 508-339-1300.
About HR Knowledge, Inc.
HR Knowledge, Inc. is a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the East Coast. HR Knowledge has the experience and technology to efficiently provide best-in-class integrated HR services at an affordable cost to clients.

HR Knowledge’s leaders have more than 100 years of combined experience and provide expert guidance in Human Resource management, Group Benefits Brokerage, Payroll Processing & Managed Services, Financial Services and Recruiting and Hiring Process Management (HPM).
Through their comprehensive Human Resource Services, HR Knowledge helps organizations minimize operational risks, reduce administrative costs and better serve their people.

HR Knowledge has been recognized as a Gold Level Broker by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. The company is headquartered at 905B South Main Street, Suite 203 in Mansfield and their second office is located at 890 Winter Street, Suite 208 in Waltham, MA. For more information, contact (508) 339-1300 or visit their website at www.hrknowledge.com

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HR Knowledge Inc. Offers Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and Tips

HR Knowledge, Inc., a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the Northeast with offices in Mansfield and Waltham, recently announced that they provide training on sexual harassment prevention in the workplace. Companies are required by Federal Law to have a Sexual Harassment Policy in place, and annual training of all of a company’s employees provides greater understanding of the policy while reinforcing it.

HR Knowledge has outlined the steps required and suggested to prevent Sexual Harassment in the workplace:

1. Maintain an Employee Guideline that includes a Sexual Harassment Policy.

2. In the Guidelines there should be key elements which include investigation if necessary and non-retaliation, as retaliation can put the company in a greater risk position than they were with the alleged original offense.

3. Ensure that all employees sign off on and accept/receive the Employee Guidelines which should include the Sexual Harassment Policy. Keep this signature page in a safe and secure place.

4. Annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for the employees at your company. The training should mention and review the do’s and don’ts for Sexual Harassment and what could be construed as Sexual Harassment. The purpose is to create and maintain a positive and healthy work environment for all employees.

5. Once the training is completed please have each employee sign off that they did attend the training and keep this on file.

6. Finally, HR Knowledge recommends purchasing an insurance policy called EPLI (employment practice liability insurance). This insurance will protect the company from claims made against the company for Sexual Harassment, Wrongful Termination, Discrimination in the workplace and other type of employment related practices. Without this insurance, companies will have to pay for their own attorney and pay for any claims awarded for an employment practice lawsuit. This insurance should protect you from employment practice lawsuits. (Note: HR Knowledge is not property and casualty insurers. Please consult an insurance agent for more information on EPLI Insurance.)

According to Jeff Garr, CEO of HR Knowledge, “Sexual Harassment claims and awards can amount to a great deal of money, so prevention and education are vital in protecting the company, it’s managers and ownership. HR Knowledge provides this sort of training for organizations on an annual basis.”

Garr has spoken on a wide variety of HR topics ranging from employment issues to social media policies and sexual harassment prevention. He is available for speaking engagements.

To arrange a speaking engagement with Jeff Garr, contact (508) 339-1300.

About HR Knowledge, Inc.
HR Knowledge, Inc. is a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the Northeast. HR Knowledge has the experience and technology to efficiently provide best-in-class integrated HR services at an affordable cost to clients.

HR Knowledge’s leaders have more than 100 years of combined experience and provide expert guidance in Human Resource management, Group Benefits Brokerage, Payroll Processing & Managed Services, Financial Services and Recruiting and Hiring Process Management (HPM).
Through their comprehensive Human Resource Services, HR Knowledge helps organizations minimize operational risks, reduce administrative costs and better serve their people.

HR Knowledge has been recognized as a Gold Level Broker by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. The company is headquartered at 905B South Main Street, Suite 203 in Mansfield and their second office is located at 890 Winter Street, Suite 208 in Waltham, MA. For more information, contact (508) 339-1300 or visit their website at www.hrknowledge.com

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HR Knowledge Inc. Recognized by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare

HR Knowledge, Inc., a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the Northeast with offices in Mansfield and Waltham, was recently recognized as a Gold Level Broker by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare for the combination of new clients and high retention.

This honor is bestowed upon the top two percent of benefit brokers in the New England market. Dan Hughes, President of Operations and HR Services at HR Knowledge was on site to accept the prestigious award. This is the fifth consecutive year that HR Knowledge has been recognized by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. 2010 was the first year HR Knowledge reached the Gold level.

HR Knowledge, Inc. provides a unique blend of services to businesses by providing outsourced, integrated HR, Payroll and Benefits services to their clients. This allows for great economies of scale in handling these time consuming and tedious tasks.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is the highest-ranked health insurance plan for overall member satisfaction in the New England region for the third year in a row according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Member Health Insurance Plan Study. Harvard Pilgrim has also been named the number one private health plan in America for the seventh consecutive year, according to an annual ranking of the nation’s best health plans by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

About HR Knowledge, Inc.
HR Knowledge, Inc. is a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the Northeast. HR Knowledge has the experience and technology to efficiently provide best-in-class integrated HR services at an affordable cost to clients.

HR Knowledge’s leaders have more than 100 years of combined experience and provide expert guidance in Human Resource management, Group Benefits Brokerage, Payroll Processing & Managed Services, Financial Services and Recruiting and Hiring Process Management (HPM).
Through their comprehensive Human Resource Services, HR Knowledge helps organizations minimize operational risks, reduce administrative costs and better serve their people.

HR Knowledge is headquartered at 905B South Main Street, Suite 203 in Mansfield and their second office is located at 890 Winter Street, Suite 208 in Waltham, MA. For more information, contact (508) 339-1300 or visit their website at www.hrknowledge.com

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HR Knowledge Rolls Out New Charter School Division

Ken Bettenhauser

HR Knowledge, Inc., providers of best-in-class integrated human resource services to clients throughout the Northeast, has recently announced a new Charter School Division to specifically cater to the human resource needs of charter schools.

HR Knowledge’s new division and dedicated staff will serve a fast growing charter school client base in the Northeast. HR Knowledge is an HR Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) that provides HR management, Payroll Processing, Managed Services, Group Benefits, Financial Services, Recruiting and Hiring services. The company helps manage the necessary but time-consuming HR administrative tasks; provides state-of-the-art payroll processing solutions as well as “Best in Class” health and welfare benefits, which allows charter school administrators and staff to stay focused on their business – providing the highest quality of education to children.

The division will be led by Kenneth Bettenhauser, one of the co-founders and the President of Brokerage Services at HR Knowledge.

According to Bettenhauser, “The challenges faced by public education have promoted the growth of alternative learning environments. The charter school industry is one of the fastest growing in the nation and because we provide HR services to many of the charter schools in the Northeast, we’ve also experienced significant growth. We are very sensitive to their needs and have developed a specific program which addresses their particular requirements.”

HR Knowledge currently serves over 25 Charter Schools, including: The MATCH School of Boston; Mystic Valley Regional Charter Public School in Malden, MA; City on a Hill Charter Public School in Roxbury, MA; Seven Hills Charter Public School in Worcester, MA; South Shore Charter Public School in Norwell, MA and a number of other charter schools in the Northeast. HR Knowledge has also worked with charter schools in New York, Washington D.C. and Ohio.

More than 75 charter school administrators and staff were in attendance at HR Knowledge’s recent “Navigating a New Course – Celebrating Charter School Excellence” luncheon event which featured a private screening of “Waiting for Superman” movie at the West Newton Cinema. The film is a documentary that analyzes the challenges facing public education starring renowned Education Reformer Geoffrey Canada.

For additional information about HR Knowledge’s Charter School Division, contact Ken Bettenhauser at (508) 339-1300.

More About Charter Schools

In Massachusetts, charter schools are independent public schools that operate under five year charters granted by the Commonwealth’s Board of Education. In New York, charter schools are independent and autonomous and approved by the State University of New York. According to Pennsylvania’s Department of Education, charter schools are self-managed public schools that are approved by local school districts. For more general information about charter schools across the nation, visit uscharterschools.org.

About HR Knowledge, Inc.

HR Knowledge, Inc. is a leading Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) serving emerging to mid-sized companies throughout the Northeast. HR Knowledge has the experience and technology to efficiently provide best-in-class integrated HR services at an affordable cost to clients. HR Knowledge’s leaders have more than 100 years of combined experience and provide expert guidance in Human Resource management, Group Benefits Brokerage, Payroll Processing & Managed Services, Financial Services and Recruiting and Hiring Process Management (HPM).  Through their comprehensive Human Resource Services, HR Knowledge helps organizations minimize operational risks, reduce administrative costs and better serve their people.

HR Knowledge is headquartered at 905B South Main Street, Suite 203 in Mansfield and their second office is located at 45 First Avenue in Waltham, MA. For more information, contact (508) 339-1300 or visit their website at hrknowledge.com.

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