Accountability – everybody talks about it, few organizations have it. What is this ethereal concept and how can we actually make it “real” in our organizations and our lives? While preparing a workshop on this topic I decided that if marketing can have the 4 P’s (promotion, product, place and price), I could brand the 4 C’s of Accountability: Communication, Clarity, Commitment, and Connection. I am most grateful to my colleagues who have helped me refine this concept.​

We hope this month’s newsletter encourages you to hold yourself accountable, and provides a common language to bring into your organization to implement effective accountability systems. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions..

Whether communicating up, down, or across your organization, self accountability is critical. We all must
“walk the talk” before we can expect others to be accountable. Here is a link to a Self-Accountability Assessment.  This document is based on the work of Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group.  I highly recommend using their books with your teams. The stories are easily digestible and highly applicable to any organization or team.

 For Your Organization: Integrating the 4 C’s intro everyday operations
​Theories and models are easy to talk about and challenging to implement. Sustaining progress and truly integrating concepts into an organization is even more difficult. Using the approach of “simpler is better”, below are some suggestions for implementing and sustaining a culture of accountability in your organization.

Communication
 Communication is ongoing. The first time you communicate a request, it may not be perfectly executed or completed at all. Think about how this person communicates best – orally, in writing, visually, etc. Communicate in a way that is meaningful to them, and follow up to ensure progress and provide course corrections, if necessary.
 Communication is a dialogue. “Tell and Sell” is not an effective strategy for accountability. Provide the listener the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns. Most importantly, be available to the listener.
 Communication requires mutual understanding. We may not always come to consensus (indeed, too much consensus can be detrimental in an organization), but we do need to come to a mutual understanding of decisions made, priorities and action steps.

Clarity
 Clarity requires more than a magic wand. Most of us think we are crystal clear in communicating our requests. Remember that no one else is inside our head, and what is obvious to you, may not even be on the receiver’s radar. Take time to prepare your message to ensure effective communication of the task, outcome, priority and deadline.

Commitment
 Gaining commitment is essential. How often have you left a meeting with a clear decision, only to find that nothing really happens. Silence does not signal agreement, and lack of debate does not equal commitment. Even when people disagree with a decision, it is important to ensure commitment to implementation after the meeting. Subtle sabotage (“I never agreed to that” or an attitude of ignore it and it might go away) has derailed many a decision.

Connection
 People, not meeting minutes, are accountable. Anyone who knows me well, realizes I am the queen of meeting minutes. One decision, one owner, one deadline. Do or do not, there is no try. If two people own it, nobody owns it. Nonetheless, writing it down it not sufficient. Making an effort to connect with the person behind the action item will both cement your relationship and increase the likelihood your request will be completed. Take the time to understand the other person’s priorities and responsibilities, and how your request fits into those accountabilities.
 What’s in it for me? As a leader, we have the authority to declare “thou shall” and thou “shall not” to a certain extent. This approach will solicit compliance, but probably will not result in the person exerting any discretionary effort. Take the time to communicate the “why” behind the request – why is it important to the organization or department, and how it will help the individual.

Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] or 763.228.8496 if you would like to discuss ideas for optimizing accountability in your organization.

​I don’t know about you, but I tend to have many more embarrassing moments than it seems a “normal” person would have.  There was the time I excused myself from an executive meeting to “go potty” (my kids were still young).  There was the time I closed a phone call with “I love you” to my boss (I talked to him almost as much as my husband).  There was the time I had to fess up to a potential employer that I was so nervous about the interview that I locked my keys in my car, which was why I was late.

Now I can look back at these situations and giggle a bit.  But what about the embarrassments or issues no one ever tells you about?  In other words, the lettuce between your teeth.  Very few strangers, acquaintances, or even friends will tell you if you have toilet paper on your shoe, lettuce in your teeth, or if you are about to really screw something up. 

The same holds true for supervisors.  Many hesitate to alert their employees to problems or provide feedback.  They don’t want to embarrass the person.  They don’t want to cause a fuss.  They hope the issue will just go away.  They assume (hope) the employee is bound to discover the “lettuce between their teeth” on their own and fix the problem.  But you know what?  Sometimes people walk around for hours / days / months without knowing something is amiss.

Supervisors, you are not doing your employees any favors by ignoring the productivity / behavioral / culture fit issues with employees.  Little things become big things.  You will be distracted by, and focus intently on whatever issue is a problem.  You can’t stop seeing the “lettuce between the teeth”. 
​
Do yourself and your employee a favor.  Give them a heads up about the lettuce in their teeth so they can remove it.
 

Hello Roo friends and fans,
 
I hope you enjoy a relaxing time with friends and family this holiday weekend. I had a call with a potential client this afternoon and she had a fantastic idea that I wanted to share!  Most of Roo’s work is retained HR services, meaning I do everything soup-to-nuts HR on an ongoing basis. I also do a lot of one-off projects such as an HR audit, when you need to look at your entire HR function, and I also write a lot of employee handbooks. But what if your organization doesn't have a big one-time project or need monthly support?  
 
Roo is now offering a quarterly “HR Pulse Check” for those clients who do not have ongoing needs or a big project that needs to be tackled.
 
When  might a quarterly checkup be helpful?

• When you don’t have ongoing needs or a big project but understand the confidence it would provide you and your board to have scheduled access to an HR professional.
• If you just want a resource to talk to about any and all HR issues on a regular basis.  This again provides the organization with confidence in their people function, as well as the opportunity to identify optimization opportunities within their HR function.  Potential topics may include culture, compliance, policy, employee relations, performance management, supervisory development and any number of other HR topics.
• If your handbook has been updated in the past two years, and you just have a couple of policy updates, you probably just need a tune up.
• If your HR professional has left the organization and you need to understand the “lay of the land.”

 
The pricing for the Quarterly HR Pulse Check is $800 per quarter / $2,400 annually. (This is really awkward for me, as I have never done a direct solicitation for business), but I think this pulse check could be so beneficial to so many organizations. I hope you think so too.
 

The New HR Landscape
 There were significant employment law changes implemented in 2024, one was rolled back in 2025, and there is a ton of uncertainty regarding policies at the federal level. There are also changes in Minnesota law that your organization may or may not be aware of.
 What to look out for:

• Regardless of political leanings, increased enforcement of immigration is a reality.  Businesses should audit I9s and review I9 / immigration status policies.  If so inclined, you could also provide employees with a “cheat sheet” to keep in their wallet outlining how they should respond to contact from immigration officials both at work and at home. St. Paul College provided an amazing sample which you can find here. 
• Updates to protected classes.  At the federal level, transgender status is not a protected class.  That being said, existing transgender protections are actively being eliminated, as has funding for DEIJ initiatives. This has led to dramatic cuts to staffing in government, at-risk funding for nonprofits, difficulties and confusion in the armed forces, government agencies and businesses and educational institutions.  as they struggle to assess their investments in DEIJ initiatives. In Minnesota we continue to have expansive protections for employees.
• Audits of pay practices.  There were two dramatic increases to the salary threshold for exemption status.  The 1/1/25 increase to $58,656 was rolled back, as was the 7/1/24 increase to $43,888. The former threshold of $35,568 is back in effect.  From a pragmatic standpoint, this minimum salary is unlikely to attract or retain employees. Stay tuned as this plays out in the courts. It would be helpful for organizations to define a Compensation Philosophy and audit / update job descriptions to identify exemption status as well as core job duties.
• Be sure to educate yourself about minimum salary thresholds, break requirements, time off, and more if you have employees outside of Minnesota.

Minnesota updates:

• In Minnesota transgender status, gender expression, gender identity and LBGTQ+ status are all protected. There is no need to update EEO or harassment policies if these protected classes are already outlined in your handbook.
• Updates to minimum wage at the city level.  There are city-specific ordinances for Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington and Duluth.  Employers must follow whichever law or ordinance is most beneficial to the employee. Again, the minimum wage is unlikely to attract potential employees.
• Pay transparency.  As of /1/25, employers must include a realistic salary range and a general overview of benefits in all job postings. For example, a salary range of $50,000 to $400,00 is not a realistic salary range. A listing of “competitive benefits” may be insufficient.
• Employers are no longer allowed to inquire about prior salary history.
• A statewide law addressing Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) went into effect January of 2024.  This law is not always consistent with city ordinances. The employer must comply with the law/ordinance is most beneficial to the employee.
• Pregnancy protections have been expanded.
• Beginning January of 2026, employees and employers will be required to contribute to a statewide fund that will provide partial compensation during paid Family Medical Leave.

What employers need to do:

• #1 Update your employee handbook
• Audit I9s
• Educate employees about essential HR policies (employment at will, EEO, harassment prevention, etc.)
• Audit pay practices. Update job descriptions and conduct a compensation analysis for both internal and external equity.

Questions?
Feel free to reach out to [email protected] or call 763.228.8496
 
 

​The world of employment law has changed dramatically in the past few years. Salary exemption levels were raised...then they were rolled back. Additional employee protections were added in MN, while some at the federal level are at risk. 

We added earned sick and safe time in three cities and later at the state level.  They have different requirements.  How do you know which city, state or federal law takes  precedence?

How can you possibly keep track of it all? 

If you need support with priorities and compliance, an updated Employee Handbook, or just a sympathetic ear, reach out today!

Kelly Rietow or call 763.228.8496

It is hard to believe that January is almost in the books!
 
There were significant employment law changes implemented in 2024, one was rolled back in 2025, and there is a ton of uncertainty regarding policies at the federal level. There are also changes in Minnesota law that your organization may or may not be aware of.
 
What to look out for:

• Regardless of political leanings, increased enforcement of immigration is a reality.  Businesses should audit I9s and review I9 / immigration status policies.  If so inclined, you could also provide employees with a “cheat sheet” to keep in their wallet outlining how they should respond to contact from immigration officials both at work and at home. St. Paul College provided an amazing sample which you can find here.  
• Updates to protected classes.  At the federal level, transgender status is not a protected class.  That being said, existing transgender rights are actively being eliminated, as has funding for DEIJ initiatives. This has led to difficulties and confusion in the armed forces, government agencies and businesses as they struggle to assess their investments in DEIJ initiatives. In Minnesota we continue to have expansive protections for employees.
• Audits of pay practices.  There were two dramatic increases to the salary threshold for exemption status.  The 1/1/25 increase to $58,656 was rolled back, as was the 7/1/24 increase to $43,888. The former threshold of $35,568 is back in effect.  From a pragmatic standpoint, this minimum salary is unlikely to attract or retain employees. Stay tuned as this plays out in the courts. It would be helpful for organizations to define a Compensation Philosophy and audit / update job descriptions to identify exemption status as well as core job duties.         
• Be sure to educate yourself about minimum salary thresholds, break requirements, time off, and more if you have employees outside of Minnesota.

Minnesota updates:

• In Minnesota transgender status, gender expression, gender identity and LBGTQ+ status are all protected. There is no need to update EEO and harassment policies if these protected classes are already outlined in your handbook.
• Updates to minimum wage at the city level.  There are city-specific ordinances for Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington and Duluth.  Employers must follow whichever law or ordinance is most beneficial to the employee. Again, the minimum wage is unlikely to attract potential employees.
• Pay transparency.  As of /1/25, employers must include a realistic salary range and a general overview of benefits in all job postings. For example, a salary range of $50,000 to $400,00 is not a realistic salary range. A listing of “competitive benefits” may be insufficient.
• Employers are no longer allowed to inquire about prior salary history.
• A statewide law addressing Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) went into effect January of 2024.  This law is not always consistent with city ordinances. The employer must comply with the law/ordinance is most beneficial to the employee.
• Pregnancy protections have been expanded.
• Beginning January of 2026, employees and employers will be required to contribute to a statewide fund that will provide partial compensation during qualified absences from work.

What employers need to do:

• Audit I9s
• Update your employee handbook
• Educate employees about essential HR policies (employment at will, EEO, harassment prevention, etc.)
• Audit pay practices. Update job descriptions and conduct a compensation analysis for both internal and external equity.

Questions?
Feel free to reach out to [email protected] or call 763.228.8496

Hello Roo friends and fans,
Along with other handbook updates your organization should be addressing (see my blog below about employment law changes), the time is right to add a policy addressing the use of Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace. Below is a sample that I encourage you to customize for your organization.​

Sample Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Workplace Policy
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are transforming the way we work. While we remain committed to adopting new technologies to aid our mission when possible, we also understand the risks and limitations of generative AI chatbots and want to ensure responsible use. Our goal is to protect employees, clients, suppliers, customers and the company from harm and the disclosure of sensitive organizational and customer information.

Acceptable use of AI
• For general-knowledge questions meant to enhance your understanding on a work-related topic.
• To brainstorm ideas related to projects you are working on.
• To create formulas for Excel spreadsheets or similar programs.
• To draft an email, letter or document.
• To summarize online research or to create outlines for content projects.

Unacceptable use of AI
Employees should not use AI for the following purposes (this is not an exhaustive list):
• No proprietary company data may be submitted (copied, typed, etc.) into these platforms.
• Employees should not input personal information into AI, whether their own or that of a co-worker, client, customer or vendor.
• Copying and pasting, typing, or in any way submitting company content or data of any kind into the AI chatbot.
• Failing to properly cite an AI chatbot when used as a resource.

Additional Requirements

• All AI-generated content must be reviewed for accuracy before relying on it for work purposes. Do not rely on AI-generated content for legal or employment purposes.
• Employees must use generative AI chatbots in accordance with company policies. 
• Only content written by employees may be included in final product.

Questions should be directed to Human Resources.

Hello Roo friends and fans,

I have been posting regularly on LinkedIn and Facebook (yes, I am a bit old school) about employment law updates throughout the year, but I am long overdue for a blog about these significant changes.  The Minnesota legislature and individual cities have been very active over the past two years, and many laws and regulations have been passed, or will be effective in the near future.

While this blog primarily concerns changes in MN, at the Federal level there are also some important changes that are highlighted.

This is a pretty lengthy blog, but it is filled with important information you need to know for your business. It will be critical to update your Employee Handbooks by the end of the year, and again before 1/1/26.

It’s all about the money, money, money…
Minimum Wage

• Federal level and the State of Minnesota
  • On 1/1/24 the minimum wage  increased to $10.85 per hour for large employers and in Minnesota $8.85 per hour for employers that are not considered large employers.
  • Who is a large employer? At the federal level, a large employer is considered an employer with 50 + employees. In Minnesota, companies with revenues greater than $500,000 are considered large employers.

• Minneapolis Ordinance
  • Minimum wage of $15.57 per hour for all employers (effective 1/1/24 for large employers and effective 7/1/24 for all employers).
  • Applies to any employer in any state if they have an employee who works at least two hours per week in Minneapolis (check your remote work policies).

 

• Saint Paul Ordinance
  • Minimum wage of $15.57 per hour for macro and large employers (101 + employees).
  • Minimum wage of $14.00 per hour for small businesses (6 – 100 employees).  Increases to $15.00 per hour 7/1/25.
  • Minimum wage of $12.25 per hour for micro businesses (5 or fewer employees). Increases to $13.25 per hour 7/1/25.
  • Applies to any employer in any state if they have an employee who works at least two hours per week in Saint Paul (check your remote work policies).

 
Be sure to check your individual state and city  changes, especially if you have employees working remotely in other states!!! California and New York regulations are particularly complex.
 
Exemption Status changes (this determines if positions are or are not due overtime)

• This is a federal law that has been updated by the U.S. Department of Labor.
• To determine whether a position is exempt (paid a salary and exempt from overtime) or non-exempt (typically paid hourly and due overtime) there is both a duties test and a salary test that must be examined.
• Duties test:  To potentially qualify as an exempt employee, one must be classified in one of the following categories:
  • Executive (running the business)
  • Professional (typically requiring education beyond high school)
  • Computer Professional (not helpdesk)
  • Outside Sales (not Customer Service or Inside Sales)
  • Administrative Professional. This is the most difficult category to assess (Administrative Assistants do not qualify, although some high level Executive Assistants may qualify)
• Salary test:  If a position passes the duties test, the position must also receive a minimum salary, and people must be paid the same wage every pay period regardless of hours worked.  There are a few limited exceptions. 
  • The salary test does not apply to teachers, or employees practicing law or medicine
  • As of 7/1/24, the minimum salary threshold is $844 per week ($43,888 annually)
  • As of 1/1/25, the minimum salary threshold will increase to $1,128 per week ($58,656 annually)
  • These minimum salary thresholds will be updated every three years at the federal level

Many small and non-profit employers will need to audit their job descriptions and either update salary levels or reclassify workers as non-exempt.
Salary History
In Minnesota, employers are no longer permitted to ask job applicants about their past pay rates or salaries.  This is designed to lessen the well documented pay gaps for women and people of color. Currently, Minnesota ranks 20th in gender pay gaps.  Over a lifetime of earnings this adds up to an average of $447,090 lower earnings for women, and is even more substantial for women of color (reference: The University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs)
Pay Transparency

• This law applies to Minnesota employers with 30 + employees and takes effect 1/1/25.
• Covered employers must post the starting salary range or fixed pay rate and a general description of all benefits and other compensation to be offered. The description of benefits includes health and welfare benefits and retirement benefits.
• Salary ranges must be a realistic representation of the actual wages that will be offered (in other words, you cannot post a position listing a salary range of $40,000 – $500,00).

 
Time Away from work
Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)

• A handful of individual cities have their own ESST rules, and they are not consistent with each other.  A statewide law was effective 1/1/24 to provide unform rules.  Employers must still comply with city ordinances if they are more generous than the statewide requirements.
• Employees will earn 1 hour of ESST for every 30 hours worked, not to exceed 48 hours per year.
• This applies to any employee (including interns and temporary staff on your payroll).
• Employers cannot require use of ESST in increments of less than 15 minutes.
• Your existing PTO policies may be used for ESST purposes if PTO offered is 48 hours or greater per year.
• Employers may not ask the reason for the need for ESST use or require documentation of the need for use of ESST unless the absence exceeds 3 days.
• Expanded uses for ESST. In addition to the existing reasons for ESST use, the law has been expanded use of ESST to attend funerals, make funeral arrangements, or address financial or legal issues related to the death of a family member.

Minnesota Pregnancy Protections

• There are several different laws related to pregnancy, prenatal leave and pumping at work. Pregnancy protections became law in 2014 under the Women’s Economic and Security Act (WESA) and amendments were passed in 2021 and 2023.  This added many new acronyms!
• As of 8/1/24, pregnant employees can take prenatal medical leave without counting it against their future pregnancy and parental leave entitlement.
• The employee will still get the same health benefits during pregnancy and parental leave and their employer will contribute as if they were working.
• Employers must notify all employees of the rights of pregnant and lactating employees when hired (typically via the Employee Handbook), or when an employee makes an inquiry about or requests parental leave.

Other Employment Law Changes

• The Minnesota Human Rights Act has a longstanding history of providing protections related to race, age, gender, and more. These protections have now been expanded to include episodic or intermittent conditions, such as diabetes or epilepsy.
• As of 7/1/24, restrictive covenants (such as non-compete agreements) are no longer allowed in Minnesota.
• Paid Leave as of 1/1/26. This law will allow partial payment of wages for up to 20 weeks per year.  This is in addition to FMLA qualifying events (grants up to 12 weeks unpaid for birth, serious health conditions and other events). The paid leave will be paid through a new state tax of 0.07%, which will be funded through a combination of employee and employer contributions.

Copies of Minnesota required postings may be downloaded for free here, or you may pay a service to provide combined state and federal posters for you.  Rates are reasonable and are based upon quantity ordered. 

​This is a lot of information to absorb and implement, even for HR professionals!  Please feel free to contact Roo for more information or with questions.