HR Outsourcing Industry Lingo

Empower yourself with the language of insiders. We decipher the arcane terms, epigrammatic abbreviations, and weird words used in the outsourcing HR industry.

Benefits

Any aspect a company offers an employee in addition to base salary (health/dental/life insurance, retirement plans). Employees may contribute to benefits with payroll deductions, or they can be fully funded by the company.

Contractors

Self-employed individuals such as consultants and freelancers who are hired for a specific period of time.

Employee Handbook

A collection of policies that explain a company's rules and regulations, including work attendance, holidays, vacation time, sick leave, payroll deductions, pay schedule, etc. An employee handbook also holds importance by making sure employees receive equal treatment and as a written document, it even can protect the company in case of a lawsuit.

Flex Time

When full-time employees can choose their starting and quitting times within limits set by management. The flexible periods are usually at either end of a "core time" during which all employees must be at work.

Job Description

Responsibilities that are part of an employee's position. Each employee should have a written job description that he or she can refer to.

Online Recruiting

Searching for employees via the Web. There are major sites where employers can post open positions in their company, and where job seekers can apply right from the site. This is a good way for companies to target the right employee and saves time on the HR side.

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Government agency that sets the safety and health rules and regulations that businesses must abide by.

PEO

Professional employee organization. Also known as employee leasing firms, these firms hire your employees, taking over the responsibility for paying them, administering benefits, and notifying you of pertinent workplace regulations.

Temporary Employees

Workers hired through a temporary agency for either a specified time period or as needed. They are employees of the agency, not of the company contracting for their services.