Welcome to inVested
Vested HR’s new monthly newsletter
At Vested HR, we are human focused. As a result, we are excited to announce the launch of our monthly newsletter, inVested in you! We hope that you find our newsletter informative and helpful to your business.
Each month, you can expect to see articles targeted to the needs of our customers. At the beginning of every quarter, we will share Vested HR news and highlight one of our customers in the inVested Customer Spotlight. We welcome feedback from our customers and encourage you to tell us what you would like to see in the newsletter.
If you are interested in being selected for our spotlight, or you have a suggestion for a future article, please let us know by emailing vhr@vestedhr.com.
Thank you for allowing us to serve you!
Vested HR Management
Empowering Business, Committed To People, & Growing Dreams
BEAT THE HEAT WITH WATER, REST AND SHADE
Summer is around the corner and temperatures are warming up, with many areas in the U.S. already feeling the heat!
- Drink water every 15 minutes
- Rest in a shaded area
- Monitor others well-being
- Wear wide brimmed hats
- Wear lightweight, breathable clothing
- Know what to do in case of emergency
- Download the attached Heat Illness Poster for your workplace
- Cleveland Clinic’s Article provides great in-depth explanations of each heat danger’s symptom and information
- Check out NSC’s Summer Safety Check List
- Read the article written by Sunz Insurance’s talented Risk Manager Jim Hanna, Working in Warm Climates, addressing heat stress, insect born diseases, and plant allergies
- National Safety Council’s articles on Surviving the Hot Weather & Insect Safety
- Planning for Acclimatization is covered in Safety+Health Magazine’s article Tackle Heat Stress Hazards
- OSHA’s Fact Sheet – Working Outdoors in Warm Climates
- Contact Vested HR for training material, procedures, and posters (English & Spanish)

MINIMUM WAGE UPDATES
Mid-year changes happening for 2021
Historically, the payroll industry has seen minimum wage increases done at the beginning of the year, however it seems that 2021 has been the year for change! Across the nation states have implemented increases in minimum wage. With Vested HR, you can be confident these changes have been applied to the system without any action required from our customers.
The states which have implemented mid-year minimum wage increases include:
- Connecticut, $13.00 effective 8/1/21
- Florida, $10.00 effective 9/30/21
- Nevada, $9.00 effective 7/1/21
- Oregon, $12.00 effective 7/1/21
- Virginia, $9.50 effective 5/1/21
Did you know?
RETURN-TO-WORK CONSIDERATIONS: HEALTH & SAFETY
Legal & regulatory update: COVID legal fallout
BY GORDON M. BERGER, ESQ. from May 2021 PEO Insider, edited for inVested use
As the nation remains cautiously optimistic that the various vaccines being administered to the population will be effective against COVID, some states are relaxing restrictions and many businesses are considering or have already reopened their offices. This article addresses health and safety issues associated with returning workers to work.
CDC RETURN-TO-WORK GUIDELINES
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages employees to prevent the spread of COVID. For instance, some precautions from the CDC include:
- Stay home when needed;
- Wash hands often;
- Cover coughs and sneezes; and
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects.
OSHA CONSIDERATIONS
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has put out guidance for employers deemed by local authorities as “non-essential businesses.” In OSHA Phase 2 business reopening, businesses continue to make telework available if possible, but non-essential business travel can resume. Limitations on the number of people in the workplace can be eased, but employers should maintain moderate-to-strict social distancing practices, depending on the type of business. Employers should also continue to accommodate vulnerable workers as identified in Phase 1, meaning workers at higher risk of severe illness, including elderly workers and those with serious underlying health conditions.
OSHA recommends employers have formal reopening plans that include:
- Hazard assessment, including practices to determine when, where, how, and to what sources of COVID workers are likely to be exposed in the course of their job duties;
- Hygiene, including practices for hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and cleaning and disinfection;
- Social distancing—six feet of distance is a general rule of thumb, though social distancing practices may change as rates of community transmission of COVID and other criteria prompt communities to move through the reopening phases;
- Identification and isolation of sick employees, including practices for worker self-monitoring or screening, and isolating and excluding from the workplace any employees with signs or symptoms of COVID;
- Return to work after illness or exposure, including after workers recover from COVID or complete recommended self-quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID;
- Controls, including engineering and administrative controls, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment (PPE) selected as a result of an employer’s hazard assessment;
STATE LIABILITY PROTECTIONS
Many states have passed employer immunity laws to shield employers from being sued for employees contracting COVID in the workplace, falling ill, or dying from receiving a COVID vaccine. Alabama, Indiana, Montana, West Virginia, and Wisconsin recently passed civil liability protections for COVID-related claims. Last year, similar laws were enacted by 14 states—Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming. Generally speaking, these immunity statutes sunset by the end of year and protect against claims to the extent that an employer complied with state or local health and safety requirements. However, most of these immunity statues do not protect employers in the case of gross negligence, reckless, willful, and wanton misconduct, or intentional conduct. In some states, employers may create a rebuttable presumption of risk by posting a notice in certain locations (such as the entrance to a store) to put patrons and employees on notice of their assumption of the risk of COVID if they enter the premises (see Georgia’s COVID-19 Pandemic Business Safety Act). Regardless of state liability protections, employers should continue to follow applicable safety procedures and protocols to minimize the risk of contracting and transmitting COVID.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 (10 oz) packages frozen strawberries
- 2 (3 oz) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
- 1 (8 oz) container thawed frozen whipped topping
- 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
- 3/4 cup melted butter
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 °F. For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9×13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled. In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping.