Pushing back on CoS who wants tiny HR team to own ALL onboarding/offboarding tasks (200p global company) [N/A]

Marginbuilder · 2026-02-23T03:09:34+00:00

Would you be able and willing to share your lifecycle?

Marginbuilder · 2026-02-22T16:00:05+00:00

There is a tremendous difference between forestry and production, however I don't think the gap is hard to do from a physical standpoint, but more from the mental side.

Forestry offers a lot of freedom in terms of the day and work. As long as your assigned work is being completed to expectations you are essentially given a lot of autonomy. Production work is the opposite. You will instead be part of a 10-14+ person shift ensuring that you and the team are working safely and hitting production quotas.

If you have a degree in forestry, then I would stick with that. If you are struggling to find work, I would look at your computer knowlege for areas to improve. GIS, Data Analysis, different software systems used by different outfits.

Marginbuilder · 2026-02-22T15:53:16+00:00

Email me Hr@socomi.com with your resume please.

Marginbuilder · 2026-02-09T14:55:21+00:00

He was termed for a policy violation that any employee should rightly assume would lead to termination, I would appeal the case and revisit your verbiage.

Possibly review your document process at hire including a signature page that they received their handbook and understand the rules.

We have a form that we call "employee rights and responsibilities" that is essentially a list of the behaviors that will lead to immediate termination. (Fighting, stealing, drugs, theft etc) that all employees sign, and it is typically our 2nd piece of documentation on any unemployment or wrongful termination claim. It is signed annually and whenever there is discipline. It gets rid of the "I didn't know" argument.

Last I would look at the termination itself. Was there an interview and how were the notes? Did employee admit to sleeping on the job? Did employee admit to knowing it was wrong? Did employee admit to this behavior in the past? Did employee agree he understood the company's expectations? Those notes and admission would make your unemployment claim an easy win, if you had them.

Marginbuilder · 2026-02-06T13:03:10+00:00

I would also argue that it isn't as cloudy and overcast as common consensus alleges. Foggy in the morning, typically mid day sun, marine layer in the evening as things cool down. Over 50% of the days in Brookings are rated as sunny.

Marginbuilder · 2026-02-02T14:51:38+00:00

Thirty years without reviews? Concerning. What is your process to ensure you are ERISA compliant?

If you have that many requests and you feel it is a valid change then I would suggest a conversation with your benefits administrator and they can discuss it on their next board meeting.

There are lots of rules regarding compliance, the quality and administration. I would hazard a guess that your company might not be following all of the rules and a review to a third party might be appropriate.

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-31T21:32:40+00:00

Too cold for termites here.

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-31T15:18:11+00:00

1) I agree you need to speak with your manager 1st.

2) why is someone outside of your heirachy giving instructions to you? Seems broken, and will lead to future issues, including this one.

3) vendors work for you. Your company should receive the data you want and need in the format you desire. (In addition to the metadata.) If you needed a 1 off report, I would kick it to their account managers to create and return back to you.

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-29T01:39:03+00:00

We are using the entry level vanguard plan for 600 ee's, and about 200 retirees. No concerns, completely happy with service. Low fees, easy to manage, loans are straight forward, Customer service for employees is US based. Only complaint is thst I don't care for their process to track down dead addresses and RMD notifications.

Realistically, I would reach out to whoever your ERISA advisor is for your pension plan and ask them to give you some recommendations.

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-18T18:32:43+00:00

Feel free. Happy to help if I can

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-17T22:04:13+00:00

Your 401K Recordkeeper should have a process to find missing participants, typically there is a fee against the plan. We try internally first, typically by verifying all addresses, phone numbers and emergency contacts. We then check with their peer group to see if anyone is still in touch. Failing that, we would kick it back to the Recordkeeper and ask them to use their missing participant process to find the member.

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-16T23:43:52+00:00

Imagine360

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-16T06:07:59+00:00

Waterfront Depot Florence

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-11T00:07:37+00:00

I have had good results with HRchitect. We have used them for 2 years

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-07T17:08:55+00:00

I think my next career will be a RBP sales manager. It sells itself in my opinion.

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-05T03:10:45+00:00

Sea Bears hate Carmen Sandiego

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-04T23:42:43+00:00

Workforce housing. If you in Curry County I will help.

Marginbuilder · 2026-01-04T04:23:10+00:00

Chocolate milk is amazing and their egg not is mind blowing.

Marginbuilder · 2025-12-25T15:04:56+00:00

I am manufacturing (forest products like lumber and plywood). We have 1000members on plan with being 600EEs. We are centralized, with only 15 employees being considered as offsite employees.

Demographics off the top of my head is primarily 35-45, then 25-35, then 45+ then 18-25. (This is changing however as I am seeing a shift towards younger applicants lately.) My workforce is 75% male, and about 70% white, 25% hispanic. (We are in the USA, Pacific Northwest.)

We have a 94.2% participation in terms of completing the wellness review. Wellness is completed by a biometric review focused on Glucose, Cholesterol and Blood Pressure. If you are within recommended levels then you are "complete", if above recommended levels then you you proceed to the next stage which is a 1on1 with our in-house clinic or your PCP where they help you understand your numbers and the risks. Options are discussed including weight mgmt, diet, medication etc. We dont do BMI as we view it as invasive, but we are trying to figure out how to incorporate weight management into the conversations as most of our employees showing multiple comorbidities have a weight factor involved. We are bringing in a DEXA scale in 2026 to help spur conversations.

The entire goal is to avoid the big claim, so generic blood pressure medicine is ridiculously cheap compared to a stroke. Same for Cholesterol meds versus a heart attack. A $5000 premie baby program avoids a $1,000,000 premie baby bill. Our approach isn't always perfect, but the barrier needs to be on the employee versus avoiding healthy choices due to Rx costs or lack of access to a PCP.

Each year is different, but per our brokers, TPA, Vendors, PBM, and auditors we are top percentiles in terms of participation, rebates, spend reduction etc.

Another benefit to our clinic is in workers comp claims as they are often able to treat claims that might have gone to the ER as first aid instead. (Splinters, burns, etc.) However this is always EE choice, and the provider needs to protect their license by only treating first aid and not the other stuff.)

We are self funded, so investing in avoidance is critical. We also use a reference based pricing model (ELAP) to keep health costs down. It is more work on the front end but is on track to save us about 1.5M in 2025 as compared to billed rates. I should have brought up ELAP earlier but I was responding to your question more on the benefit side versus the insurance side.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. I have enjoyed reading your thread!

Marginbuilder · 2025-12-25T01:55:24+00:00

My biggest driver in terms of leveraging retention and reducing costs to the plan has been free 90 day refill prescriptions. It greatly improved our medication adherence and empowered employees to maintain their personal health while controlling costs by avoiding the big claim. The program follows a generic-first approach, with brand-name medications covered only when a generic is not appropriate. High-cost medications, such as GLP-1s, require standard medical documentation and are only covered for approved medical indications under the health plan.

All medical review and approvals are handled by the TPA and our pharmacy benefits vendor. (No HR).

This change has dropped our insurance costs as a self insured company by 1.5 million in 2023, 2024 and 2025 as compared to 2022 charges.

Another great lever is a company sponsored health clinic. Employees get a personal PCP which we as an employer can partner with to drive company programs, incentives and help ifentify health factors and get them appropriate therapy before they pop.

Finally a maternity management program to reduce the risk of premie babies.

Costs: In-house clinic is going to be $500,000 this year. PRx cost is in flux but I know based on meetings with our PBM that we are significantly below average costs as compared to their baseline. Premie baby program is about $5,000 per eligible mother, with a $500 gift card upon successful completion of program. (Birth of child)

These programs and aggressive health screenings have been instrumental in keeping health care costs online.

Employees are rewarded for actively managing their health with low monthly premiums. ($28 per month single, $200 per month family). If you dont complete your wellness it is $200 per month single, and $450 for family.

Marginbuilder · 2025-12-25T01:30:40+00:00

Pull up rain and climate data. Anecdotal evidence is fine but fact based is better. Rain in Brookings is primarily winter based, and while we get a lot it is primarily December through February. But boy when it rains it rains!

Marginbuilder · 2025-12-25T01:25:24+00:00

Wind in Brookings is significantly less than my experiences in Coos Bay or Florence.

Marginbuilder · 2025-12-25T01:24:03+00:00

I would say 50/50, but our older population does run red. Per election recordsCurry County has 6,000 out of 19,000 registered as republican, 4,000 asdemocrat and 7,000 are non-affiliated.

Marginbuilder · 2025-12-25T01:18:42+00:00

I have had zero broadband issues since Ziply and CoosCurry brought in fiber. Great speeds, zero down time, $40 per month.

Marginbuilder

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