Tag: Wage Hour

Survey—Background Checks on Social Media? Policy Enforcement?

Policy Focus: Background Checks Multiple states and cities have enacted laws in recent months that govern the use of background checks, so this year’s survey takes a closer look at those policies. We kicked it off by asking how many survey participants have background check policies (74.4%) then moved on to ask how many apply […]

Policy Survey Results … Who Has Policies on What?

The results of BLR’s 2014 Policy Practices Survey are in; here are some highlights: 89.8% of participants have formalized policies. 77.5% have an at-will employment statement. Employee handbooks are the preferred method of distributing policies to employees for 49.9%. An internal website (intranet) is utilized by 29.3%. Social media background checks are conducted by only […]

Failure to Pay Correctly—#6 on the List of Lawsuit Magnets

[Go here for failures 1 to 5.] 6. Failure to Pay Correctly Yes, it’s the pay thing. Zandy’s danger zones are: Misclassification (exempt vs. nonexempt) Timesheets (in & out) Meetings (mandatory and unpaid?) Off-the-clock (off-duty helping on-duty) Travel Bonuses (discretionary vs. nondiscretionary) The good news is plaintiffs’ lawyers are unlikely to take a case if […]

Learning How to Count: IRS Attorneys Discuss ACA’s Pay-or-play Provisions

Employer preparation for preparing for health care reform’s pay-or-play provisions, especially data reporting (under Sections 6055 and 6056) to the IRS, can be complicated by: (1) changes in workers’ employment status (from part-time to full-time); (2) an organization’s switching from one measurement method to another; and (3) the structure of controlled groups and subsidiaries, speakers […]

Federal Contractors’ FMLA Policies Face New Scrutiny from Executive Order

By Peter A. Susser     Federal contractors’ administration of family leave will face unprecedented scrutiny as a result of a new executive order from President Obama. The order requires the disclosure of labor law violations committed by would-be contractors, and a determination of whether that candidate is satisfactorily responsible and ethical. The order is […]

Your Manager’s Worst Sin—Envy, Greed, or Sloth?

[Go here for sins 1 to 4 and a bonus sin] Sin 5. Envy Envy makes managers do things that aren’t appropriate for the company. For example: Gaming the compensation system. For example, giving a higher-than-deserved performance rating in order to award a higher raise to an average employee who is high in the range. […]

ERISA Does Not Free Self-Funded Plans from Paying Michigan’s Claim Tax

The Self-Insurance Institute of America has lost a round in its battle against a state-imposed tax on ERISA health plans. In a new ruling, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that Michigan’s health care claims tax withstood SIIA’s preemption arguments, because the law doesn’t interfere with the parts of plan administration reserved exclusively […]

How Many of the 7 Deadly Sins Are Your Managers and Supervisors Committing—Right Now?

Sin 1. Lust Sexual harassment continues to be a problem in the workplace. And it’s often worse when it’s a manager and a subordinate. Perhaps the most difficult challenge in training managers and supervisors about harassment is getting across the idea that what matters is the attitude of the receiver of the harassment, not the […]

LinkedIn to Pay Almost $6M for Overtime Violations

LinkedIn Corp. will pay almost $6 million to 359 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation revealed that the company had committed overtime and recordkeeping violations. According to DOL, LinkedIn failed to record and pay employees for all hours worked, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. It will pay $3,346,195 in back […]