Summer is a Time to Tune Up Your HR & Compliance Practices

Summer often brings a welcome slowdown. With employees on vacation and a little breathing room in operations, it’s tempting to kick back and coast through the season. But for smart business owners and HR professionals, summer is actually the perfect time to step back, reflect, and prepare for a stronger, more compliant second half of the year.

Here in California, where employer liability is rising faster than most small businesses can keep up, now is the time to review the health of your HR systems, from hiring and onboarding to payroll and performance management. The lazy days of summer may be the perfect opportunity to take action before year-end pressures begin to build.

Reassess Your HR Practices

Start by taking a hard look at your hiring process. Are your job descriptions current and compliant? Are you including Pay Equity data? Are you screening candidates effectively and documenting your decisions appropriately? Are you cautious about Immigration compliance?

Next, turn to performance management. Are employee expectations clear? Do you have a process for giving regular feedback and handling underperformance? Do you know how to handle leave and accommodation requests? Summer is a great time to put systems in place that promote accountability and reduce legal exposure.

Embrace HR Automation

Still relying on paper timesheets or emailing new hire forms back and forth? Modern HR automation tools can drastically reduce admin time and improve accuracy.

Now’s the time to evaluate your:

• Timekeeping systems – Are you tracking hours, overtime, and meal/rest breaks correctly?

• Onboarding process – Is it easy to use, paperless, and compliant with CA documentation laws?

• Training – Are your harassment and safety trainings up to date and documented?

Implementing or refining your HR tech stack during summer downtime can lead to big gains in the fall.

Review Your Payroll Compliance

Payroll isn’t just about paying people, it’s a legal minefield, especially in California. Use this time to audit your payroll practices:

• Are you calculating regular rate of pay properly when bonuses or commissions are involved?

• Are you following the rules for meal and rest breaks, including premium pay when required?

• Have you recently reviewed your employee classifications (exempt vs. non-exempt or employee vs. independent contractor)?

Mistakes in any of these areas can lead to major penalties, especially under laws like PAGA (Private Attorneys General Act). Summer is your chance to catch issues before they become liabilities.

Get Ahead While Things Are Quiet

While your competition is checking out for the summer, you can use this time to check in, with your processes, your people, and your compliance. Small improvements now can prevent big problems later.

At Infinium HR, we specialize in helping California businesses navigate complex compliance issues, modernize their systems, and create workplace cultures that work. If you’re ready to use this slower season to step up your HR game, we’re here to help.

Let’s make this summer the season your HR practices go from good to exceptional.