Human Resources (HR) Basics for Non-HR Professionals

Hiring your first employees is a major step in growing a business—but it also brings new responsibilities. For many small business owners and managers, there can be a long gap between hiring those first employees and having a dedicated HR professional on staff. In the meantime, someone still has to figure out the rules, create the processes, and handle the people questions, like:

• What belongs in an employee file?
• Is this person really an independent contractor?
• Does a salaried employee qualify for overtime?
• What can you legally ask in an interview?
• What should you document when an employee is struggling?
• What do you need to know before terminating someone?

This course provides a practical introduction to the employment laws and HR practices small employers are most likely to encounter. Using examples and discussion, participants will follow the employee lifecycle from creating a position and recruiting candidates through employee management, documentation, discipline, and termination. The course also addresses foundational legal topics including wage and hour requirements, worker classification, FMLA, OSHA, harassment, discrimination, and employment-at-will.

This class is designed for participants who:

• Own or manage a business without a dedicated HR professional on staff.
• Perform HR responsibilities as part of an administrative, operations, finance, or management role.
• Are preparing to hire employees or are beginning to formalize their HR practices as their business grows.
• Want to better understand their responsibilities as an employer and recognize situations where additional HR or legal expertise may be needed.
• Want practical tools and resources they can continue using after the class.

Throughout this course, you will:

• Understand which employment laws may apply to your business and how requirements can differ based on employer size and federal, state, and local regulations.
• Differentiate between employees and independent contractors and understand why worker classification matters.
• Explore exempt vs. non-exempt classifications and common wage-and-hour questions involving overtime, meals and breaks, travel, training time, and other compensation issues.
• Learn foundational requirements related to FMLA, OSHA, harassment, discrimination, employment-at-will, employee records, employment posters, and other workplace issues.
• Improve your recruiting and interviewing practices, including developing behavioral interview questions and recognizing questions that may create legal or compliance concerns.
• Understand key onboarding responsibilities, including I-9s, new-hire reporting, employee files, required benefits, and employee handbooks.
• Approach employee performance issues more consistently through clear expectations, progressive discipline, and effective documentation.

This course does not:

• Provide individualized legal advice or replace consultation with an attorney or HR professional.
• Cover every employment law or every industry-specific requirement.
• Provide an in-depth treatment of federal contractor, public-sector, or union employment requirements.