Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
It’s prudent to pay close attention to travel pay regulations because travel-related issues pose a significant risk for wage and hour claims. This is, unfortunately, an often-overlooked area.
Secretary of Labor Tom Perez has his orders. President Barack Obama on March 13 officially directed him to “modernize and streamline the existing overtime regulations.” The president’s directions further instruct the Department of Labor (DOL) to “address the changing nature of the workplace” and simplify the rules so that they will be “easier for both […]
Sin #1. Failure to pay the minimum wage We’ll pay you $5 an hour until you learn the ropes; then you move up to $7 an hour. Virtually all employees are entitled to receive at least the minimum wage (the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour; many states have higher minimum wages) for all […]
[Go here for sins 1 through 6.] Sin #7. Making wagehour blunders We’re out of overtime. Can you clock out and then set up for tomorrow? You’ll be working alongside our regular employees, but you new recruits are all independent contractors. Tracy, make sure you stay close to the phone during lunch. Sandy, keep your […]
Sin #1. Making Unlawful Preemployment Inquiries That’s an interesting accent you have. Where were you born? Do you have any children? If so, will you have any daycare problems? By the way, we’re all about diversity here. Inappropriate questions during interviews and other preemployment contacts are a primary source for claims of discrimination. The courts […]
by Tammy Binford The ballot question making changes to New Jersey’s minimum wage was presented to voters in the November 5 election and passed easily, but many business leaders are uneasy about the change. By a 60-40 percent vote, voters passed Public Question 2, which will raise the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 […]
A new rule taking effect January 1, 2015, means most direct-care workers employed by agencies and other third-party employers will be entitled to at least the federal minimum wage and overtime pay. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) says the change will affect nearly two million direct-care workers, such as home health aides, personal care […]
by Boyd Byers and Lindsey Smith Significant revisions to the Kansas Wage Payment Act (KWPA) go into effect July 1, changes that give employers more latitude to make payroll deductions to recoup overpayments, loans, and property provided to employees. Under old law, employers could withhold wages only in limited circumstances, such as (1) when specifically […]
Can big data solve your HR problems? The important thing to remember is that the basis of big data is statistics, and you have to be careful interpreting results. So-called confounding variables may muddy the waters. For example: History can intervene. The measurement may have been accurate, but things changed during the measuring period and […]
Latifa Lyles, Acting Director of the Women’s Bureau (WB), noted that today, full-time female workers earn on average only 81 percent of what their male counterparts earn. For African-American females and Latinas, the wage ratio is substantially lower: 68 cents and 59 cents, respectively. But the real cost of the pay gap is more than […]