Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Two macroeconomic factors have recently been on employers’ minds: interest rates and the labor market. While these two issues may at first seem to have little, if any, connection to one another, they are actually quite closely linked. For example, in a recent article for Fortune, Christopher Rugaber and the Associated Press write, “America’s employers […]
Ever heard of a “soft phone?” It allows phone calls to be received through a computer. There’s no additional hardware, other than the computer running the program, needed to accept a call. Call centers use this technology. Just one question: Should an employer pay its employees for the time it takes to boot up their […]
For some employees, getting their work computer up, running, and ready to perform each day is a complicated and time-consuming process. When should an employer pay for that daily process?
The New York City Human Rights Commission (NYCHRC) recently released guidance about the city’s new law requiring “salary transparency” in job advertisements for employees, interns, domestic workers, and some independent contractors. The law takes effect on November 1, 2022. The guidance answered many, but not all, questions raised by the breadth of the legislation. Read […]
Good news! During these times of challenging recruitment, a viable applicant seems interested in your business. What’s the next step to set the hook? A job offer letter serves many purposes. It should enhance the candidate’s interest in the opening and protect your company against claims that it misrepresented the employment opportunity. The letter also […]
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 […]
Recent developments serve as a reminder for employers and HR professionals to be aware of the antitrust laws when dealing with certain employment issues.
Pay equity has become an important issue in California employment law. It is now a concept of both general fairness and discrimination. For example, employers may not ask about prior salary history because it has been linked to discriminatory factors and reliance on it perpetuates that discrimination. Similarly, the California Equal Pay Act (EPA) requires […]
A female employee wasn’t discriminated against for receiving less compensation than her male coworkers when she voluntarily chose to complete tasks that weren’t required of her, according to the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Nebraska employers), upholding a Nebraska federal district court decision. Facts Barbara Perry, a former employee […]
This year, many areas are experiencing a rise in minimum wage—some for the first time in many years. In other locations, there are raise pressures beyond legal requirements, as employers are finding they’re simply not receiving as many applicants as they did in the past for roles that are on the lower end of the […]