Small Business Check-Up and Maintenance Program

Stay Compliant

A small business needs advice and direction regarding compliance to federal and state mandated regulations as relates to employment practices.  We want to come along side you and invest our time and energies into assisting you in these areas.  We are a phone call away when you have an employee issue that could get uncomfortable.  Guidance and support regarding hiring, terminations, health care reform and more are part of what we do.

Reduce Costs

More importantly our experience brings you direct money savings opportunities in the many service areas that you contract out now.  We research and negotiate to give you excellent services at optimal pricing.  This keeps your staff from having constant interruptions and allows them to perform those tasks that most help you to run your business and service your clients.

• Secure your business
• Saves your key staff time
• Increases the scope of opportunities for your business and employees
• Saves your business money

Additional Advisory Service Areas Include:

• Retirement plans
• Health Insurance
• Payroll and Time Keeping Systems and Services
• Life and disability Insurance
• Vision and dental
• All voluntary or supplemental products
• Section 125 cafeteria Plan (Flexible Spending)
• Health savings accounts
• Workers compensation and general liability insurance
• Human resource employee practices
• Internet and communications systems
• Copier and print contracts
• Expense report systems
• E-commerce

“Every Business Needs a Checkup”

HR Assessment

The following summarizes key HR and business policy areas that should be carefully reviewed to protect your company.

• Policies regarding solicitation, distribution, trespass and access to the premises
• Personnel Files set up properly and information separated properly
• I-9 Forms with proper identification on file
• Appropriate posters visibly displayed explaining state and federal equal employment and federal contractor laws
• Equal Employment Opportunity policy
• Anti-discrimination policies and/or written procedures for the selection of employees for hiring, promotion, transfer, layoff, salary increases, work assignments and other employment actions
• Communication and training related to sexual harassment policy and complaints procedures
• Employment policies and procedures, including employee handbooks periodically reviewed by employment counsel
• Compliance with the wage-hour laws, including those relating to overtime pay and exemptions, time record-keeping and wage deduction prohibitions
• Drug testing policies
• Job descriptions reviewed for accuracy
• Written employee safety program and a procedure for handling employee complaints
• Five most recent EEO-1 reviewed to determine appropriate representation of
• women and minorities in each EEO-1 category
•  Retirement plan costs, fees and commissions
•  Benefit plans and services
•  Payroll services
•   Employment applications in compliance with federal and state laws
•  Employment ads reviewed for accuracy and legality
•  Interviewers appropriately educated in guidelines for both lawful inquiries and questions not to ask
•  Applicants asked to sign a reference consent form
•  References checked before offer of employment is communicated to the applicant
•  New hires sign employee handbook receipt/disclaimer and receipt for other orientation material
• Written performance evaluations
•  Employee meeting to review evaluation and obtain comments and signature of the employee

William M. Owen, Synergy VII, www.synergyvii.com

2783 Berkeley Drive, Birmingham, AL  35242

205-437-9676 or 205-790-1415

Mini- Biographies

William M. Owen, Owner, Synergy VII LLC

Synergy VII is a small business advisory and consulting firm established in 2006 by William Owen. He is a graduate of Auburn University, Marketing, B S Degree, 1979 and is married with six children and four grandchildren.

William helped develop and grow a payroll company from the ground up, manages the administration of human resource software support and update information for over 500 companies across the southeast.  His background includes over 20 years working with small to mid-sized businesses with their benefits, retirement plans and human resources.

Synergy VII represents the culmination of knowledge, resources, and relationships of the past 30 years.

Carl O’Neal, Owner, People Smart

Carl O’Neal established People Smart, a business that provides Human Resource consulting and outsourcing services to small to mid-sized employers, in August of 1998. Carl provides an over-sight role with regard to the human resource function for his clients, conducts investigations of any complaints, and makes recommendations for discipline.

Carl O’Neal received his B.S. from Florida State University, his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, and his M.B.A. from the University of Alabama. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama Bar Association, the Advisory Board of the University of Alabama Executive MBA program, and the Society for Human Resource Management. Carl is also a past member of the American Corporate Counsel Association and the Advisory Board of the University of Florida Center for Retailing Studies.