How do I hire the right employees with limited resources?

I’m not sure that your office location in the Bronx is a benefit. Most people would prefer to work closer to home, so anyone who lives in Manhattan is unlikely to view working in the Bronx as an advantage. The best source for employees is referrals, so asking friends, business associates and partners is a good place to start. You can also post your jobs online at LinkedIn.com, or any of the top job boards such as Indeed.com or ZipRecruiter.com for a nominal fee. There are also job boards dedicated to insurance professionals such as InsuranceJobs.com and IHireInsurance.com. A small investment in the fee for the online job boards is worth it, given that the cost of making a bad hire is great, particularly for small businesses.

I was a union employee and was terminated just four days shy of the end of my six-month contracted probation because of COVID-19. My employee handbook states that they only pay out accrued vacation time for employees who have worked six months or more. My union contract states that terminated employees will receive their vacation pay and doesn’t mention length of service. Am I entitled to my two weeks of vacation pay? I would think a union contract takes precedence.

Generally speaking, if there are two conflicting policies, the one most favorable to employees is most likely to be upheld in court. If you are a union employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement, then the terms and conditions of that agreement would apply. However, it is not uncommon for certain policies and benefits to only apply to employees who have worked past the probationary period. So double-check the policy and ask for clarification from the human resources department about what, if anything, you are entitled to.

Gregory Giangrande has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources executive. E-mail your questions to [email protected]. Follow Greg on Twitter: @greggiangrande and at GoToGreg.com, dedicated to helping New Yorkers get back to work.