Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with Vanessa G. Nelson,
president and owner of Expert Human Resources in Flint, Michigan. When
asked why she started her company, Nelson states, “Employment litigation
increased 2000% since 1995, [and] the average lawsuit settlement is
$165,000. If the case goes to court, it can cost $1 million or more.
Employment law non-compliance fines can cost upwards of $100,000. It is
way too much for employers to operate their businesses and try to keep
track of red tape and issues.” These staggering facts spearheaded
Nelson to start Expert Human Resources in 2009 to help companies protect
their assets.
Nelson, who was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, knew early on that
she wanted to help others. She learned a strong work ethic from her role
model and mom, Ione Larry who, Nelson states, always worked hard, took
pride in all of the work she did, and is a strong leader. Nelson’s
career path began over 30 years ago when she worked at Sparrow
Hospital. She then went on to work at Hurley Medical Center in 1991
where, in 2000, she was promoted to Human Resources as a Benefits
Specialist. After working in benefits for four years, a promotional
opportunity became available in Labor Relations, a position she competed
for and won. Nelson states, “I knew that Labor Relations was my
passion almost immediately. I LOVED it!” She adds, “I had found my
calling. “
During Nelson’s
tenure at the Medical Center, she earned her Masters Degree from
Central Michigan University, Certified Labor Relations Leader
Certification from Michigan State University, and the prestigious Senior
Professional in Human Resources Certificate from
the Human Resource Certification Institute. While Nelson worked on her
Master Degree, she wrote her thesis (business plan) on the “feasibility
of starting a Human Resources consulting firm in Michigan,” she
declares, further stating that, “I conducted all the research, surveys,
market analysis, etc. and ultimately received an ‘A’ on my thesis. The
professors thought my idea was so outstanding I decided to execute my
plan.”
Simultaneously, while working on her Masters, Nelson noticed that many
of her colleagues would complain about being sued and having to pay
large employment settlements, jury verdicts, and/or non-compliance
fines. It was then that Nelson had an “Aha” moment and realized that
many of those incidents would not have happened if those colleagues had
certain policies or procedures in place, as well as if they had kept up
with the changing laws, or had their managers properly trained to
observe the workplace. Nelson lights up as she describes that, “It was
then that I realized I could help companies save money!”
Due
to Expert Human Resources being so well received, in 2013, Nelson
retired from the corporate arena. She states, “Many business owners
don’t have the time or the manpower to dedicate to protecting their
companies, which is where Expert Human Resources can help. Our
consultants have over 100 years of combined HR and employment law
experience, and we stay up-to-date for our clients. Expert Human
Resources works closely with businesses to make sure they have the right
policies and procedures in place. We train managers and supervisors to
protect the workplace, conduct HR audits to eliminate or reduce risk,
perform workplace investigations to ensure policies are adhered to, and
we help to make sure companies are consistent with their policy
application across all avenues of the business.” And expert Human
Resources also has memberships available for only $99 per year, which is
a great affordable price for many small businesses. The basic
membership includes one FREE, 10-minute call each month to discuss any
HR or employment law issue, free access to seminars, free customizable
forms, sample job descriptions, employment law interpretations, hiring
and termination toolkits, and more! Based on the level of service
needed, a business can upgrade its membership at any time.
Vanessa G. Nelson is also a sought-after speaker in her industry. She
recently presented Human Resources and Employment Law: Don’t Put Your
Company at Risk! to the National Association of RV and Parks Conference
-- to roomful of about 80 participant’s in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nelson
reports, “After the presentation, I received a flood of emails from the
attendees, thanking me for presenting and for all the tools I gave them
during the presentation. One of the freebies I give to all businesses is
a social media policy. Employers need to understand and communicate the
social media policy to their employees to protect their companies’
reputations and bottom lines,” Nelson explains.
You can find a copy of Expert Human Resources’ Social Media Policy
Sample on her website www.experthumanresources.com
under the ‘Shop’
section. You can also find her FREE e-Book entitled, Management Guide
to Crucial Human Resource Strategies. This book explains how to be
proactive and avoid common employee- related litigation and
non-compliance fees.
Nelson also has other valuable information that can be found on her
blog, including ‘5 Smart Things to Do in 2015 to Protect Your Business’
and ‘Affordable Care Act Update: Employer Mandate in Effect January 1,
2015.' “We are different at Expert Human Resources. We are [concerned
with] preventing employment lawsuits and helping companies maintain
employment law compliance because that is where our clients are most
vulnerable,” Nelson explains. “We are protecting our clients’ assets.”
Get connected
with Vanessa G. Nelson and Expert Human Resources today. Expert Human
Resources has worked with over 60 companies, including McDonalds, MTA,
Genesee District Library, Suski Chevrolet Buick, Old Newsboys of Flint,
Pain Management Center of Flint, Village of Birch Run, Hank Graff
Chevrolet, Balance Concierge, Richfield Trailer Supply, Lapeer County
Vision Center, I-Ken Video, Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, Energy
Sciences, and many more.
Expert Human Resources is also a benefits partner with the Saginaw
Chamber of Commerce and the Birch Run Chamber of Commerce. Expert Human
Resources has clients all over Michigan, as well as in Texas, Maryland,
Georgia, New Jersey and Washington.
Expert Human Resourcesis located at 2425 South Linden Road, Suite D126 Flint, Michigan (Oak Creek Office Park) (877) 356-6175.