Allison Kenney, Author at ERC

How to Avoid Expensive I-9 Penalties and Stay Compliant (Updated May 2026)

May 27, 2026 Allison Kenney

If you’ve been thinking about I-9 paperwork errors as something you can clean up after the fact, the rules just changed. On March 16, 2026, ICE updated its Form I-9 Inspection fact sheet and narrowed the list of mistakes employers are allowed to fix after a Notice of Inspection. Many of the most common clerical … Read more

An HR Decision Guide for Organizations: Direct Hire or Fractional HR?

April 15, 2026 Allison Kenney

If HR in your organization is currently “owned” by a mix of leaders, office/admin staff, finance, or operations, or you’re feeling the growing pains of not enough HR capacity, this guide is meant to help you decide what to do next. The two next steps we’re going to explore are: 1) HR Self-Assessment: Are you … Read more

HR Outsourcing vs. HR Consulting: What’s the Difference, and Which One Do You Need?

April 14, 2026April 14, 2026 Allison Kenney

An HR consultant and an internal office meeting

It’s easy to lump all outside HR help into one bucket, but HR outsourcing and HR consulting are not the same thing. Here’s the simple version: HR outsourcing helps you get HR work done.HR consulting helps you address a specific HR problem, challenge, or project. The right choice depends on whether you need ongoing capacity, … Read more

Pros and Cons of HR Outsourcing: Benefits, Tradeoffs, and How to Decide

March 12, 2026 Allison Kenney

If HR work is spilling onto the desks of your leadership team, office manager, controller (or possibly even you), it’s time to rethink HR in a way that keeps you compliant, supports your people, and scales without burning out your team. For some, that might mean hiring one or more dedicated HR employees, but we … Read more

When Does an Organization Need HR?

December 17, 2025 Allison Kenney

Every growing organization eventually hits a point where managing people, compliance, and culture gets too complex to handle without HR support of some kind. Managers need help handling employee issues, and as you add people, new employment laws start to apply. Recruiting and retention become growing challenges. And soon, HR starts taking more time than … Read more

What Is Fractional HR and When Does It Make Sense?

February 12, 2026December 7, 2025 Allison Kenney

The Highlights: As organizations grow, so do their people challenges. What started as a small team that could “figure things out as we go” now needs consistent hiring processes, clear policies, and better ways to manage and support employees. HR issues can start to take more time, and they’re landing on the owner’s or president’s … Read more

When Should an Organization Make Its First HR Hire?

December 7, 2025November 22, 2025 Allison Kenney

If you’re reading this, you might be feeling the strain of not having a dedicated HR professional, but you’re also not sure if you’re ready for a full-time hire. Maybe you’ve got leaders juggling HR tasks. Maybe hiring feels inconsistent, employee questions are taking more time, or you’re starting to worry about compliance as you … Read more

PEO vs. Fractional HR: Which is Right for Your Growing Company?

February 11, 2026October 5, 2025 Allison Kenney

The Highlights: For companies approaching or surpassing the 50-employee mark, HR quickly becomes more complex. You’re now facing requirements like the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and more detailed compliance reporting. If you don’t have an in-house HR leader, you’re probably contemplating your next step. (Check out our article … Read more

Comparing Internal, Outsourced, and Fractional HR: Which Model Best Fits Your Needs?

February 11, 2026July 14, 2025 Allison Kenney

The Highlights: If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance something’s shifted. Maybe someone in a key HR role is going on leave. Maybe they’ve already left. Maybe you’ve been growing quickly and are starting to realize that HR can’t be an afterthought anymore. We work with a lot of leaders who find themselves in … Read more

How to Choose the Right Fractional HR Partner

February 11, 2026June 19, 2025 Allison Kenney

The Highlights: If you’re reading this, chances are you’re at a crossroads. Maybe your HR person is going on leave. Maybe they just left. Maybe you’ve never had someone in that seat but things are getting too complex to keep handling on your own. Or maybe you do have HR support, but something feels off: … Read more

Does Your Organization Need Fractional HR Support? 4 Signs It’s Time to Consider

February 11, 2026June 18, 2025 Allison Kenney

The Highlights: You’re not alone if HR isn’t always top of mind until something goes wrong. It could be an underperforming team member, an internal transition, or maybe your HR function just doesn’t exist yet. That’s what fractional HR support is: HR experts that can handle day-to-day needs or establish an HR structure without the … Read more

What HR Needs to Keep Confidential

January 26, 2025November 23, 2024 Allison Kenney

The Highlights:

Organizations, typically falling to the HR department, is responsible for keeping information like employee records, medical information, background checks, disciplinary actions, and investigation details kept confidential.
HR confidentiality is required by laws like HIPAA, FCRA, GINA, FMLA, and ADA to protect sensitive employee information.
Keeping certain information confidential protects employee privacy, ensures compliance with legal requirements, and helps maintain trust in the workplace.

HR is not only entrusted with maintaining sensitive information about employee and management issues, but also must protect this information under laws governing confidentiality.