5 ‘flexible’ flu policies that risk breaking the law
So everyone advises you to be flexible about sick leave when your business gets hit with the flu. So you do it. So you get hit with a labor-law violation. Here’s where good companies run into trouble....
View ArticleWhen pay costs have to be cut: 4 legal ways to do it
It’s bad enough being faced with having to cut pay costs. It’s even worse when the methods put you in violation of federal labor laws. The common mistakes usually involve infractions of the Fair Labor...
View ArticleSure that employee’s exempt from OT pay? Check out this case
Here’s a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of trying to classify employees as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). A loan underwriter for a New York bank sued under the FLSA, saying he...
View ArticleAnother example of why it’s a good time to check OT classifications
No question about it — both the feds and the courts are focusing on organizations that misclassify employees as exempt from overtime. Latest example: The case of two employees of the Port Authority of...
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Labor Dept. considers major changes to key law
The Fair Labor Standards Act for 72 years has dictated rules about how you should administer overtime pay, do recordkeeping and classify workers. Now, an industry group is asking for major,...
View ArticleStill time for you to comment on ‘lactation break’ rule
The U.S. Labor Dept. has set rules governing break times and working conditions for nursing mothers. And the DOL wants to hear your two cents on the matter. The deadline for commenting on the proposal...
View ArticleAlert HR to this pay problem
Got employees who work OT? Watch out for this trap, which goes under the heading of “no good deed goes unpunished.” The pay violation becomes even more serious — and complicated — because federal...
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Alert: Job descriptions in the legal spotlight
You could have a problem if your job descriptions have been sitting around a while in a file drawer. You could have an even bigger problem if you don’t have job descriptions. Let’s start with the...
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What do you think of these 3 ideas to create jobs?
Do you agree, for instance, that we should get rid of anti-discrimination laws? The ideas come as a result of inquires by Reason.com, a generally right-wing website that champions less government and...
View ArticleWatch out for this mistake with employees on commission
If you have employees who get commissions, make sure your Payroll people understand the rules when overtime hours are involved. One of the traps in the Fair Labor Standards Act involves how employers...
View ArticleLabor Dept. backtracks on new OT reg
The U.S. Department of Labor has delayed a regulation requiring employers to give documentation to exempt workers explaining why they’re not eligible for overtime pay. The reg – as part of the Fair...
View ArticleHave to lay off? Don’t miss this major ‘to-do’
Overseeing a layoff can be stressful and hectic. Plus, you’re dealing with angry workers who are more prone to sue. There’s one step you’ll want to take to make sure you’re protected. Take a look at...
View ArticleMistakes that cost other companies
This regular feature shows how other companies have run afoul of IRS regulations, sales and use taxes or other laws. You can see how others got off track, and avoid similar problems. Today’s problem:...
View ArticleFollowing federal law on rest breaks
Several court cases and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act have dictated the rules on rest breaks for employees. (Some states have separate rules.) To test your knowledge of the federal rules,...
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