Ver la versión en español aquí It is time to stock up on bottled water and fresh batteries and consider trimming those trees. It is also time for businesses to dust off and freshen up their emergency policies and procedures. Please see our suggestions below on what to review.… Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Unemployment rates are at historic lows and the economy is booming! That’s good news for business, right? Yes…and no. While low unemployment creates more demand for the goods and services offered by companies, it also means that employers will have to compete for an ever-shrinking pool of workers. This … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí After years of good fortune, the 2017 Hurricane Season severely impacted most of South Florida and the Gulf Coast. Even those of us who suffered little or no property damage probably lost power for at least a few days, and many had no electricity for weeks. Businesses had difficulty … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Wow, this has been one crazy roller coaster ride. Season 1 of this overtime soap opera kicked-off with President Obama directing the Secretary of Labor to “modernize and streamline” the “white collar” FLSA exemptions. In May 2016, the DOL published revised regulations that increased the exempt salary threshold from … Continue Reading
It’s throwback Thursday … err Tuesday. As those of us in Florida prepare for the potential landfall of Hurricane Irma this weekend, please check out my colleague Bob Turk’s interview with the Miami Herald about storm preparations for human resource professionals and our post from hurricane season last year on what happens to employees’ pay … Continue Reading
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
Ver la versión en español aquí Poll in-house counsel about the things that keep them up at night. The contents of a wage statement (commonly known as a “pay stub”) would be way down that list. After all, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Florida state law do not require any specific information … Continue Reading
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
Late yesterday, a Texas federal Judge issued a nationwide temporary injunction halting the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) new overtime regulations, which were set to significantly increase the minimum salary required for the executive, administrative and professional overtime exemptions (known as the white collar exemptions). This unexpected ruling prevents the DOL from implementing the new regulations, … Continue Reading
With Hurricane Matthew expected to hit the east coast this week, Floridians are stocking up on water, batteries, gas, and canned food. It’s important to be prepared and plan ahead for your home and family. For those in Human Resources, it is also a good time to plan ahead for what happens with employees’ pay … Continue Reading
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
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
Ver la versión en español aquí Once in a while, everyone might feel like Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day”, wondering whether we are living the same day at work over and over again. A persistent question, though, is whether everyone is being paid lawfully for doing so. Last Friday, seven years to the day that President … Continue Reading
I love this time of year. For some magical reason, everyone’s mood changes and smiles appear. Perhaps it’s their pending vacation or the chance to spend quality time with friends and family. So, in the spirit of the holidays, here is my gift to all our readers. Drum rolls please . . . TEN WAYS TO AVOID GETTING … Continue Reading
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
Ver la versión en español aquí For those of us in South Florida, we just braved the first few weeks of school and the associated traffic congestion. Now we have to prepare for Tropical Storm Erika, potentially Hurricane Erika? While we will know more about the storm’s path on late Friday and early Saturday, it is … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently proposed substantial changes to the salary amounts for the FLSA’s white collar exemptions. This is the first proposed change since 2004. The DOL took this action in response to a March 2014 directive from President Obama to “modernize and streamline” the regulations … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí I wanted to post about something exciting and attention-grabbing to start 2015. What better way than an update on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordkeeping requirements, right? Okay, I realize that OSHA and recordkeeping will not generate quite the level of excitement and fascination that I had … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Do you allow employees to access company data using their personal portable electronic devices instead of company-issued devices? For example, do employees use their smart phones to contact customers and store customer contact information, preferences, etc., on their phones? When these employees quit or are terminated, have you implemented … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Title VII and Pregnancy Discrimination Act could protect breastfeeding mothers at work Some women do it in the break room. Other women do it in their office. What about men? Well, they never do it. Pump breast milk, that is. Employers have had the last four years to get … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Over the last several months, President Obama has continued his push to revamp the nation’s minimum wage and overtime laws. He has faced an uphill battle. In a Presidential Memorandum dated March 13, 2014, President Obama directed the Department of Labor to “propose revisions to modernize and streamline the … Continue Reading
It is that time of year again and time for the obligatory “get ready for hurricane season” blog posting. Fortunately, it has been a while since we had to run through the hurricane drill. Let’s hope our string of good fortune continues and there is no need to gas up the generators or empty the shelves … Continue Reading
On December 26, 2012, the Eleventh Circuit, which has jurisdiction over Florida, issued a decision in Miller v. Roche Surety and Casualty Co., Inc. The plaintiff, Danielle Miller, sued her former employer claiming that it violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA ) by failing to give her a time and place to express breast … Continue Reading
If you have not watched television or driven on any road lately, you might be surprised to learn that there is a presidential election scheduled for Tuesday, November 6. Well maybe not. This blog focuses on issues that employers should consider during the next few weeks. Florida law does not require employers to give employees … Continue Reading
