Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Maybe you’ve experienced this: An employee has a serious health condition, you provide the required Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) paperwork, and the certification form either comes back not fully filled out or so vague that you’re unable to figure out whether a serious health condition even exists. In these circumstances, FMLA regulations spell out […]
Covered federal contractors have been tasked by the federal government with preventing disparities in pay for their employees based on race, gender, and ethnicity. To prevent such disparities, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) under the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) requires federal contractors to annually conduct an in-depth compensation analysis.
With labor shortages leaving fast food and other minimum-wage work environments short-staffed, many businesses are relying on teenage employees to fill the void. But employers must be aware of applicable child labor laws, which aim to protect minors’ health and safety and to avoid interfering with their education. Employers should keep in mind three major […]
We’ve all heard about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) when it comes to expectant mothers or for recovery from serious physical health conditions, such as heart attacks or surgeries. The application of FMLA protection for mental health conditions is more nuanced, however. Mental health conditions are increasing worldwide. According to the World Health […]
On March 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued guidance on forms of prohibited retaliation under various laws the agency enforces, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), immigration visa programs, and other laws and executive orders. The new guidance suggests […]
In the current battle to hire and retain good workers, employers have developed creative ways to balance employees’ increased compensation expectations against the costs of running a business. In addition, restaurants using the tip credit have the extra administrative difficulties of making sure their tipped employees are being paid enough in tips to meet the […]
Retaliation continues to be at the top of the federal government’s priority list. In March 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new field assistance bulletin titled Protecting Workers from Retaliation, which addresses worker protections from retaliation under laws enforced by the agency’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD). The DOL pledged to “use every […]
Against the backdrop of a new presidential administration, an evolving workforce, and a changing economy brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape for union organizing has radically changed over the past two years. While the nation’s attention is currently focused on unionization efforts at household names such as Amazon and Starbucks, employers of all […]
In September 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) expanded the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime coverage to more than one million workers. In response, employers everywhere readied themselves for a potentially seismic shift. Calls to legal counsel, workforce audits, and wage adjustments ensued to make sure workers were properly classified. Soon, it may […]
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new final rule covering how benefits affect employees’ regular rate of pay provides clarity for employers that offer the innovative benefits packages that have become popular in recent years.