Month: December 2011

Arizona Minimum Wage Rising 30 Cents for 2012

By Dinita L. James Arizona’s minimum wage will increase 30 cents to $7.65 for the 2012 calendar year, making it 40 cents higher than the federal minimum wage. The increase is a result of Proposition 202, also known as the Raise the Arizona Minimum Wage for Working Arizonans Act, which was approved by state voters […]

Your Tracking Nightmare —Multiple Stacking Leaves

What’s Happened in Leave Land? The first challenge is the multiplicity of types of leave entitlements—workers’ compensation, short-term disability, FMLA, Military FMLA, state family leave, paid family leave, and the ADA. The result? Potential stacking of up to 5 or more types of leave, says Southard. The second big factor, she adds, is the explosion […]

Wage/Hour: Good News Ahead (for the Attorneys, That Is)

There’s good news (sort of) and bad news for employers in the outlook for 2012, say attorneys from the Employers Counsel Network. They covered new developments in wage/hour compliance during a presentation at BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, held recently in Nashville and Las Vegas.

How to Turbo-Charge Your Sales Incentives

Three “turbo-charged” sales incentive techniques will accelerate your sales performance, say experts Jerome A. (“Jerry”) Colletti and Mary S. Fiss. They shared their tips at the WorldatWork’s Total Rewards Conference and Exhibition, held recently in San Diego. The three turbocharged techniques Coletti and Fiss suggest are: Fast Start Bonuses, OA incentives, and SPIFFs. Colletti is […]

Supreme Court Decides Legal Costs in Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Case

By Hadiya Roderique The Supreme Court of Canada recently considered whether the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has the authority to award legal costs to a successful complainant. As we noted in an earlier bulletin, this case could have major ramifications in human rights litigation across Canada. Complaint Donna Mowat brought a human rights complaint against […]

GAO Study: IRS Too Tough in Adoption Tax Credit Enforcement

The IRS has been too vociferous in auditing individuals who have claimed the adoption tax credit, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggests in a report. In “Adoption Tax Credit: IRS Can Reduce Audits and Refund Delays,” the GAO reports that the IRS: (1) did not sufficiently train and communicate with its auditors who were examining […]

$1 M in back wages recovered for NJ gas station workers

A multi-year investigation by the United States Department of Labor into violations of wage and hour laws by New Jersey gas stations has found “consistent and widespread noncompliance,” according to agency officials. The investment action recovered more than $1 million in back wages for 295 workers. In an agency statement, DOL Secretary Hilda L. Solis […]

Stand by Me

Litigation Value:  Implementing an antinepotism policy = $800; medical bills for Dwight’s tumble from his secret standing stool = $1,000; applying your “buffalo wings passion” to all aspects of your life = priceless. Last night’s episode contained some interesting revelations about our friends at Dunder Mifflin Sabre.  Indeed, Creed may be part of a secret […]

Sometimes You’ve Gotta Use the “F” Word

Here’s Oswald’s take on the “F” Word: According to the article the writer analyzed 50 recent news releases announcing coaching changes in college football and basketball. Of the 50 releases reviewed, not a single one contained the word “fired” — zip, zilch, nada. “How can that be?” Well, while none of the coaches was fired, […]