Tag Archives: compensation

Covering Summer Interns Under Your Employee Benefit Plans – You Can’t Just Forget About Them

Ver la versión en español aquí It is prime time of the year for hiring “interns.” They usually are high school, college or even graduate students looking for work experience. Certain interns may be unpaid (the analysis of whether interns must be paid is an important issue but beyond the scope of this blog post). … Continue Reading

Baseball’s Winter of Discontent

Ver la versión en español aquí What can we learn from Major League Baseball’s currently unemployed players? Employee satisfaction has become increasingly important as employees expect fulfillment in their careers (both financially and with work-life balance programs and benefits). Whether unionized or not, it is important to analyze a company’s culture and the industry to … Continue Reading

DOL Does a “Do Over” on Overtime Regs and White Collar Exemptions

Ver la versión en español aquí On November 22, 2016, many of you breathed a (big) sigh of relief. Why? Because a Texas federal judge issued a nationwide temporary injunction precluding the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 2016 overtime regulations from going into effect on December 1, 2016. These regulations would have significantly increased the … Continue Reading

Another Attempt to Pass Private Sector Comp-Time Legislation

Ver la versión en español aquí As the fate of the Department of Labor’s revised overtime regulations remains in limbo as a result of a nationwide injunction (currently on appeal) issued in November 2016, Congress now has chimed-in on wage and hour issues potentially impacting non-exempt employees.  This week, the House of Representatives passed The … Continue Reading

Google’s Pay Policy: Good? Or Too Good to Be True?

techVer la versión en español aquí In January, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) brought suit in a San Francisco administrative court against Google, Inc. to require Google, as a federal contractor, to allow the government to inspect Google’s pay records.  While the DOL was demanding various documents regarding employees’ compensation history for compliance purposes, it was clear the underlying reason was … Continue Reading

Could the Applicant Salary History Question Become History?

Salary history is one of the most commonly asked questions on employment applications. Knowing what a prospective employee currently earns or what they’ve earned in the past can provide you with valuable information to guide your decision as to whom ultimately to hire: It allows you to determine whether the candidate is in the same salary … Continue Reading

A Penny for Your Thoughts . . . A Nickel for Your Minimum Wage

Ver la versión en español aquí Florida’s minimum wage is going up. Starting January 1, 2017, Florida’s current minimum wage of $8.05 will increase five cents to $8.10 per hour.  For a full-time Florida employee (working 2080 hours), the increase equates to $104 more in wages per year.  The five cent increase was based on … Continue Reading

The Writ (and Wisdom) of Wage Garnishments

Your employee, Debbie Deadbeat, doesn’t pay her debts and gets slapped with a judgment. Before you know it, a process server comes to your office and serves you with a continuing writ of garnishment of Debbie’s salary and wages. First:  What is a Writ?  Second:  What should you do about it? A Writ is essentially … Continue Reading

You Want to Raise the Minimum Wage to WHAT?!?!

Ver la versión en español aquí A year ago, Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price announced plans to raise the salary of every employee to $70,000 by 2017, even entry level staffers.  In order to help offset the increased labor costs, Price announced his intention to lower his own salary from $1,000,000+ to $70,000 (he apparently … Continue Reading

Top Takeaways from Our 26th Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar

Ver la versión en español aquí With over 400 attendees from more than 200 employers, our 26th Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar was a huge success! Thank you for allowing us to keep you “on Track”. For the first time this year, following our morning sessions, attendees were able to choose from our “high-speed” track designed for … Continue Reading

New Overtime Rule Doubling Minimum Salary Requirement Effective December 1

Ver la versión en español aquí Well, finally. This morning, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final rule, about two years and two months after President Obama directed the Department to update, streamline and modernize overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Department estimates that the compensation of more than four … Continue Reading

Payperless Paydays – Paycards: A Good Alternative to Direct Deposit?

Ver la versión en español aquí For years, employers have looked for ways to implement a one-size-fits-all paperless (all electronic) pay system for paying employees’ wages. While direct deposit is a good option, there are very few states that allow an employer to implement direct deposit if an employee does not agree. Florida is not … Continue Reading

New OPT Rule for STEM Grads – Some Good, Some Not So Good?

Ver la versión en español aquí For the last several months, foreign students in F-1 status and potential employers have been living in limbo. A federal district court invalidated the Department of Homeland Security’s rules providing additional time in Optional Practical Training for STEM graduates (graduates with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math).  The … Continue Reading

2-4-6-8 Minimum Wage is Not So Great: NFL Cheerleaders Fight Back

The NFL is a multi-billion dollar bu$ine$$. Peyton Manning won the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos. On top of his $15 million salary, he earned a $2 million bonus. Cam Newton lost the Super Bowl, but don’t feel sorry for him; he signed a 5-year $103.8 million contract.  For their Super Bowl appearances, every … Continue Reading

Granting Non-Exempt Workers After-Hour Access to Company’s E-mail System: Are You E-mailing Your Way to a Wage and Hour Lawsuit?

Ver la versión en español aquí Betty’s at the dinner table with family, talking about her day, savoring her mashed potatoes when . . . flash—the phone lights up. Work e-mail. She reads it, steps away from the table, and starts drafting a response. Fifteen minutes later, she fires it off and returns to the … Continue Reading

Employees are Taking Back Thanksgiving!!!

Employees are taking back Thanksgiving!!! What impact will that have on your business if the trend continues?  Is the trend driven by a return to more traditional values surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday or is it just plain good business sense? Employers are asking themselves these questions ever since Recreational Equipment, Inc., otherwise known as “REI,” … Continue Reading

So Boring but So Important – Vendor Service Agreements

Ver la versión en español aquí You just finished the torture of the RFP process for a new vendor for your benefit plan (doesn’t matter what kind of plan – 401(k), group health plan, section 125 plan, stock purchase, etc.). You carefully compiled all the information from the 100-page responses, checked the references, asked pointed … Continue Reading

First Monday in October Promises Important Rulings in Employee Cases

Ver la versión en español aquí Walter Matthau and Jill Clayburgh were gifted actors.  But the new term of the Supreme Court, which opens today, promises to generate some drama of its own as well. Somewhat lost amid the understandable attention received by the historic same-sex marriage and Obamacare rulings last year were several important Supreme … Continue Reading

TOP SECRET Takeaways from Our 25th Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar

Ver la versión en español aquí Our 25th Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar is a wrap. Wow, 25 years goes by in the blink of an eye! Each year, our seminar continues to grow. Thank you to the attendees who have been with us from the beginning and the newcomers who attended for their first time this year.  With over … Continue Reading
LexBlog