U.S. Department of Labor onsite compliance audits are on the rise and that means that your business stands a good chance of becoming the target of a DOL audit Dallas TX. A DOL audit can arise for a number of reasons including random chance; so even though you think you are compliant in all areas of human resources and you haven’t received or been aware of any employee complaints regarding compliance, you can still be selected for an audit. Though the audit process can seem relatively straightforward on paper, it is extremely time- and labor-consuming and should be avoided when possible. To reduce your chances of an audit conducted for cause, like an employee complaint or a Form 5500 issue, there are some steps you can take.
HR Compliance Dallas TX: Create A Culture Of Compliance
The best way to avoid a DOL audit is to create a culture of compliance that starts at the top levels of your company. Though it is vital that managers and supervisors, who likely handle daily compliance with labor laws, are aware of basic compliance requirements and best practices, it is more important that the senior leadership of your company leads by example and embraces the idea of ethical behavior and legal compliance not just out of a fear of government audits, but because it’s the right thing to do.
Employment Attorney Dallas TX: Make Training An Ongoing Process
You probably know that everyone in your company should receive training in areas of labor compliance relevant to their jobs and that they must understand boundaries on behavior and business practices. Because many of these boundaries and practices are not intuitive, it’s vital that you invest not only in initial employee training but in ongoing training that enables your employees to revisit compliance topics throughout their tenure with your company. Investing in a strong compliance training program can be expensive, but the cost of noncompliance can destroy your business.
DOL Audit Dallas TX: Learn From Your Mistakes
No company or employee is perfect when it comes to compliance – mistakes will be made. Whether the mistake is caught internally or is brought to your attention by an outside agency, it’s a good idea to recognize the mistake as an opportunity to teach employees about compliant behavior. No matter what the mistake is, don’t trivialize it or try to sweep it under the rug because that will only encourage a repeat of the same behavior. Mistakes tend to pile up when you ignore them and just one of those mistakes can trigger a DOL audit.
To learn more about how to avoid a DOL audit Dallas TX or if you’ve already been notified that you’re going to be audited, call us at Simon | Paschal PLLC at (972) 893-9340. You can also visit us online at www.simonpaschal.com to find out more about our legal services.
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