Tag: Wage Hour

3 Worst Mistakes Managers and Supervisors Make

They say the perfect business has no managers, no supervisors, and no employees. Unfortunately, your business isn’t perfect, and you have to deal with managers and supervisors who will make today’s “worst mistakes” if you don’t train them. Here are the worst mistakes managers make: Worst #1—Failure to Be Honest in Performance Management Supervisors and […]

Sign of the Times? Minimum Wage Boost Defeated in Maine

What a difference a couple of years makes. Not so long ago, a flurry of states passed legislation or ballot initiatives to increase their minimum wage rates. As recently as 2009, there were minimum wage increases in 24 states. Since then, it appears that changes in the political climate and in the economy have completely […]

Equalizing Pay for Long Shifts and Short Shifts

Let’s say you have some employees who work long, 12-hour shifts and others who work traditional eight-hour shifts. The 12-hour employees work four shifts one week (48 hours), then three shifts the second week (36 hours) and another three shifts the third week (36 hours). This 4-3-3 schedule would be repeated every three weeks, resulting […]

Summer Jobs for Kids—Many Restrictions on Duties and Hours

In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered permitted work for youths under 16. Today, prohibited work, and some great news—your job descriptions are updated and ready to go. Minors Aged 14 and 15: Prohibited Work Minors 14 and 15 years old may not work in the following occupations. Again, this is not an exhaustive list. Most jobs […]

Summer Hiring? Watch for Tricky Child Labor Laws

A recent DOL decision assessed penalties of over $277 thousand against movie theaters for employing youths in dangerous jobs and for working them illegally long hours. Have summer hiring plans? Better review youth hiring rules. Many companies enjoy adding young workers to their staffs during the summer months, and it’s a win-win as long as […]

Class Actions—Go on Offense to Avoid Them

In yesterday’s Advisor, we profiled Seyfarth Shaw’s eight trends that make class actions a real danger for every HR department. Today, key issues and an introduction to a unique training system that will help you avoid class actions altogether. Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report suggests HR managers take note of the […]

Class Actions Threaten "Enormous’ Financial Risk: Seyfarth Shaw

For the coming year, the financial risks of class action litigation are “enormous,” says attorney J. Stephen Poor, and more often than not, class actions adversely affect your market share and impact your reputation in the marketplace as well. Poor, who is the Managing Partner of law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP, made his remarks in […]

Technology Brings Tricky Twist on Old Issue—Hours Worked

What effect does your employees’ use of PDA’s have on wage and hour issues? Are you “suffering and permitting” when they respond to calls after hours? Is any time ever “de minimis?” Attorney Laura Innes tackles these questions and makes some recommendations for 2011. Compensable “hours worked” is all the time during which an employee […]

In Compliance with Wage/Hour? Not Likely

According to one recent survey, pay violations are rampant, says attorney Laura E. Innes, Esq. For example, more than a quarter of those surveyed reported that they had received less than the minimum wage in the previous week, and 60% of those reported being underpaid by more than $1 per hour. Innes, a shareholder in […]

Ask the Expert: We have an intern who has worked with our company for over 2 years. Are we subject to any liability by not including the intern in our benefits?

September 08, 2010 Issues with interns usually revolve around whether or not they are paid. Therefore, the DOL has created rules on this topic. I will provide them to you, even though they do not answer your question exactly, because they will allow you to see that if the intern has been working for you […]