Do You Know Where Your Global Assignees Are?

A few decades ago, there were public service announcements on television that aired each night with a simple message: “It’s 10PM - do you know where your children are?” The message was provided as a reminder that parents should be aware of the location of their children with the idea that late at night, they should be safe at home. There is an application in that message for employers – particularly as concepts such as “Duty of Care” for employees is becoming a topic to consider and political environments around the globe are rapidly changing.

For employees on assignment or business travel in another country, there are many risks that employers should be aware of. The most important risk, of course, is the security of employees in a location where political events can erupt quickly and potentially turn violent. And then there are more mundane issues such as Visa or work permit expirations or employees who may inadvertently turn a short business trip into an illegal overstay by changing their plans at the last minute. Do you know where your employees are?

Fortunately, technology has provided a solution that helps address these concerns. The Global Tracker system available through NuCompass uses a GPS-enabled app installed on the employee’s smart phone to track the number of days spent in each location against upcoming tax or immigration thresholds. Both the employee and HR team are notified of impending deadlines so immediate action can be taken to avoid tax or immigration penalties. In addition, the system allows the employer to send alerts to the employee in the event of political turmoil or other danger. As borders become tighter and political events become more common, knowing where assignees and business travelers are is more important than ever.

If you would like to learn more about the Global Tracker system, please contact us at 925.734.3869 and we'll be happy to provide additional information.