HRCI's HR Hot Topic: Employee Classification

Course Description

Successful businesses and organizations rely on workers to perform daily tasks and to keep things running smoothly. Regardless of size, mission, or product, all organizations must determine which roles and responsibilities are necessary to meet business needs. Human resources professionals play a key role in helping organizations assess the number of workers needed, the duties and responsibilities associated with specific roles, and whether or not to hire employees or independent contractors to perform specific tasks. This course provides HR professionals with an overview of different employee classification types, important regulations related to employee classification, and action steps for maintaining compliance.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the learner should be able to:

• Explain why employee classification is important for businesses and organizations to consider
• Describe potential consequences of misclassification
• Define common terms related to employee classification
• Identify key differences between employees and independent contractors
• Name the basic regulations outlined in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Determine whether an employee would classify as exempt or nonexempt under the FLSA
• Understand key elements of maintaining employee classification compliance