Tag: FLSA

When Your Hammer Is Your Screwdriver—Talent Management

To do that, sometimes you have to use a hammer as a screwdriver, he says. Katz made his comments at BLR’s Strategic Leadership HR Summit, held recently in Scottsdale, Arizona. Katz is president of Penguin Human Resource Consulting LLC. When Is a Hammer a Screwdriver? Katz shows a picture of a hammer and asks, “What’s […]

Treat Temps Casually? Danger—Laws Still Apply

Defining Contingent Workers Contingent workers are generally those who are hired through staffing firms or leasing companies and whose jobs are structured to last only a certain length of time. If a company does not clearly define a “contingent worker,” who is an employee, and who is not an employee, managers may start using contingent […]

Bonuses and the FLSA: Overtime pay considerations

Overtime pay obligations under the FLSA can get hairy when non-discretionary bonuses or other incentives are brought into the picture. The main issue at hand is that employers must review non-exempt overtime costs for the incentive award period if the award is non-discretionary.

Job Sharing—The Advantages and Disadvantages

Job sharing is a special type of part-time employment in which two or more employees share the duties of a single, full-time position. Job sharers may each work part of a day or work alternate days or weeks. Here’s how it may benefit the employer: Improve recruiting by attracting qualified employees who don’t want to […]

Part-Timers Have Rights? I Don’t Think So

For guidance, we turned to Compensation.BLR.com®. What Is Considered ‘Part-Time’ Employment? There is no federal law that defines the term “part time” or specifies the number of hours an employee must work per week to be considered part-time as opposed to full-time. Many employers classify part-time employees as those who regularly work fewer than 30 […]

Discretionary Versus Non-Discretionary Incentive Pay and Bonuses

As we all know, the FLSA requires us to pay overtime pay when it is due, and the base pay rate must include all payments for that time period in question—including incentive pay and bonuses paid during that time. But is that always the case? Actually, the answer is no. It’s true that most incentive […]

High Court Advances Same-sex Marriage and Impacts Employers

As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court rulings on same-sex marriage, employers throughout the United States will have to adjust their benefits plans, policies and documents to accommodate employees’ same-sex spouses for purposes of federal law and regulations. California employers will need to do the same for purposes of state law. On June 26, […]

Fair Labor Standards Act Celebrates 75th Anniversary

The Fair Labor Standards Act turns 75 today, June 25. When the law was enacted as part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal policies it established the minimum wage, overtime and other labor standards that still govern today’s workplaces. Those standards turned out to be just the “baby steps” of a law that has grown to […]

Skinny Plans: Adhering to the Letter (But Not the Sprit) of Health Reform

An increasing number of employers are examining providing a low-benefits health plan that covers only preventive health services but not high-price major medical claims. Offering this type of low cost or “skinny” plan is allowed under the health reform law. The question is: Will skinny plans trigger a large-employer exodus to de minimis coverage, and if so, […]

Planning to Hire Teens for Summer Jobs? Brush Up on These FLSA Basics

The summer job season for teenagers kicks off in the next few weeks. Therefore, employers planning to hire young workers to augment their workforce must make sure they are compliant with the child labor provisions in the Fair Labor Standards Act to avoid facing steep penalties. Whether they are bagging groceries or mowing lawns, working […]