HR compliance is the development of workplace policies and procedures to ensure they align with required laws and regulations and taking a proactive stance in maintaining in ensuring the company follows those laws and regulations.

This applies to all companies regardless of size or scale, and the risk of paying a hefty fine or penalty for non-compliance is ever-present. The frequency of governmental audits means organizations must keep abreast of continual legal and regulatory developments within HR or face the consequences of non-compliance.

Video: The Value of Understanding HR Compliance

What is HR’s Role in Compliance?

HR departments are tasked with the critical function of ensuring their organization is compliant with its legal obligations. This entails meeting the requirements of various laws, regulations, and restrictions at international, federal, state, and local levels.

HR compliance covers everything from recruitment, payroll, and benefits to the treatment of employees. Although the requirements within this area are constantly evolving, there are a few fundamental mandates that all employers and HR departments are expected to adhere to.

1. Statutory compliance

This legal framework within which a company must operate entails compliance with local, state, and federal laws.

Statutory compliance is a legal requirement, and employers who are not fully compliant could face criminal charges. Examples of statutory compliance include legislation regarding the minimum working age, anti-discrimination, and the minimum wage.

2. Regulatory compliance

Regulatory compliance may vary from country to country as it entails compliance with specific mandates laid out by a regulatory body. An example is the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), a regulating body with the authority to issue legal compliance about health and safety.

As with statutory compliance, an organization could face criminal charges if it fails to maintain compliance.

3. Contractual compliance

Contractual compliance requires both parties to the contractual agreement to adhere to the agreed-upon terms. This could include employee benefits, severance packages, and notice period clauses.

Although non-compliance will not result in criminal charges, an employer who breaches the terms of the contract could face a civil claim against them.

4. Labor relations law compliance

The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 governs union activities across many states in the U.S. These labor relations laws protect employee rights and address issues that federal law does not cover.

The chart below demonstrates that while approval of labor unions in the USA remains high, membership is at all time lows.

Labor Relations USA — Labor Union Membership in the USA

5. HR technology compliance

Technology platforms, such as BambooHR or Breathe, must comply with an ever-increasing number of regulations regarding data privacy, which are governed by GDPR and require that employee data be stored and managed compliantly.

6. Internal compliance

This pertains to internal policies within a company that align with statutory and regulatory laws, ensuring they are met in practice. For example, a company operating in a country that stipulates a 35-hour working week (such as France) may formulate a policy that requires employees to leave the office by a specific time each day.

7. Training compliance

Some jobs require mandatory employee training, such as in healthcare and manufacturing, and employers are expected to comply with such requirements.

8. International labor law

International labor law is a set of rules by the International Labour Organization (ILO). These rules and regulations govern many areas relating to labor, such as rights at work, working conditions, and freedom from discrimination. These labor laws apply whether a county is an ILO member state.

9. Country-specific HR compliance

Companies that operate globally must comply with in-country policies that a country may form, such as rules relating to retirement age or minimum working age. Having country-specific HR guidelines in place can help organizations stay compliant and avoid the risk of penalties.

10. Workplace compliance

This covers internal HR policies, which commonly relate to statutory and regulatory rules, ensuring these are being proactively adhered to. For example, workplace compliance may include rules around working hours, mandatory breaks, non-discrimination, and other such policies.

Key HR Compliance Issues

HR compliance is a highly regulated area becoming increasingly complicated to navigate. However, the cost of non-compliance also makes managing this complexity imperative. A proactive stance is required to stay compliant where organizations foresee issues and address them head-on.

Below are some key compliance issues every HR department should be aware of:

1. Keeping up with legal requirements

Statutory and regulatory requirements constantly evolve, and maintaining current compliance in these areas can be strenuous for any business. This is especially so for larger organizations that operate in multiple states or jurisdictions.

To ease this burden, it is advisable to outsource HR compliance responsibilities to a third-party provider, such as a global employment organization, that can oversee all requirements.

2. Lack of clarity around technology

HR technology such as a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is necessary for most large organizations, however, many platforms do not make their compliance policies clear when it comes to matters such as security, privacy, and the collection of data potentially causing them to fall foul of regulations such as GDPR.

Companies should prioritize compliance issues when selecting a new vendor by asking them questions regarding their data compliance policy to overcome this issue. HR technology should only be purchased from vendors who adhere to the law and regularly update their software.

3. Bridging the gap

Certain companies or industries may have been non-compliant with certain laws for several years. This could be anything from gender pay inequality to sex discrimination. Bridging the gap in such organizations can be challenging and may take some time to accept and fully integrate into their culture.

Regular training, education, and internal efforts to reinforce such laws are all steps in the right direction.

What Is HR Compliance Training?

HR compliance training is the practice of educating employees across all levels of an organization on the laws and policies regarding their roles in the workplace. In doing so, organizations can avoid penalties for non-compliance with the law and successfully meet the requirements to pass an HR compliance audit.

HR compliance training can help employees comply in several workplace areas, including diversity and inclusion, discrimination and harassment, and workplace safety.

How to Master an HR Compliance Audit

Below are three best practices to help an organization master an HR compliance audit.

Set up local HR compliance: Each country or region will have its own statutory and regulatory compliance rules. This can also be city- or state-specific; therefore, a compliance function in each location can help ensure that all parts of an organization follow the applicable laws.
Update policies and handbooks: All compliance literature should be regularly updated to align with current laws and regulations. An annual review of all compliance material should ensure it is up-to-date and reflective of legislative changes and developments. Employee handbooks should be kept current, and workplace policies should be communicated to all staff members, helping to create a culture of compliance within the organization.
Use HR tools: HR technology can help organizations ease the burden of compliance and track the ever-changing rules and regulations in this area. The best HR software can help businesses free up resources by navigating the complexity and ensuring all applicable requirements are correctly met.

HR Compliance Checklist

An HR compliance checklist can help organizations stay compliant in all of the different areas required of them.

Below is a list of areas to review to ensure HR compliance within your organization:

Recruiting and interviewing
Hiring procedures
Health and Safety
Policies and procedures
Employee handbook
Employee and management training
Sexual harassment, bullying, and drugs
Working time
Conflict resolution
Discipline and termination

Manage HR Compliance with a Trusted Partner

Suppose you want to grow your business internationally. In that case, our Global PEO service can help you recruit and hire employees internationally and ensure you build a compliant local presence without the need to establish a local entity, leaving you to focus on growing your business in a new market. Contact us today to find out more.

Frequently asked questions

How is HR compliance measured?

Common metrics used to measure HR compliance include the following:

Salary competitiveness ratio
Percentage of employees trained in HR policies
Diversity ratio
Gender pay gap
Training effectiveness

What is the difference between compliance and HR?

HR is responsible for managing the human capital resources within an organization through the entire employee lifecycle. Compliance is one of the functions within HR and involves responsibility for ensuring the organization is compliant with all laws and regulations relating to employment and workplace practices.