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Compensation & Benefits

Worth your while: Proactive review of wage-and-hour issues

02/26/2009

Nothing—not even a sexual harassment suit or EEOC investigation—will consume as much of your time as a class-action overtime lawsuit. Your best bet: Thoroughly review your pay practices to make sure you aren’t making any wage-and-hour mistakes. Do that before the litigation hits.

Minor loss of benefits doesn’t mean employee will win suit

02/24/2009

Not every little lost privilege or benefit translates into a winning lawsuit for employees. Minor changes such as temporarily losing the use of a company car aren’t serious enough to constitute an “adverse employment action.”

15 California firms make Fortune ‘best to work for’ list

02/24/2009

Fifteen companies headquartered in California have made the 2009 Fortune magazine “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Why did so many California companies make the list? Great benefits seem to be the reason.

Rules for tough times: California’s Baby WARN Act and layoffs

02/24/2009

The downturn has hit California hard. Many stable California employers find themselves for the first time contemplating reductions in force in order to survive. If you’re considering a large-scale layoff, be prepared to familiarize yourself with California’s version of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

2 New Jersey companies on Fortune’s ‘best to work for’ list

02/24/2009

Two companies headquartered in New Jersey have made Fortune magazine’s 2009 “100 Best Companies to Work For” list: Atlantic Health, headquartered in Morristown; and Novo Nordisk, based in Princeton.

Can we hire only ‘careful’ workers to reduce our workers’ comp costs?

02/24/2009

Q. Several recent hires have suffered work-related injuries shortly after beginning their employment. As a result, our workers’ compensation premiums have soared. The company’s CEO, in an effort to avoid this problem, has directed that only “careful” workers be hired in the future. Is this legal?

Workers’ comp reform working

02/24/2009

Gov. Jon Corzine’s concerted effort to reform workers’ compensation appears to be bearing fruit. In 2009, benefits will rise to a maximum of $773 per week while employer premiums will fall approximately 1%.

New economic stimulus law includes HR-related provisions

02/24/2009

The economic recovery and stimulus bill President Obama signed Feb. 17 features several provisions affecting HR. Most require federal agencies to write new administrative rules, so it’s difficult to predict now exactly how they will work on an everyday basis. Here are some key provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Forget FMLA absences when rating employee attendance

02/24/2009

Employers aren’t allowed to count absences covered by the FMLA when they discipline employees. That’s why it’s important to segregate any such absences from performance reviews and any discussions about attendance.

When FMLA leave is denied, damages can add up fast

02/24/2009

Here’s a lesson to pass on to managers and supervisors: Employees who win FMLA lawsuits after being denied the right to take leave can end up with a large pot of gold at the end of the litigation—a pot that has to be filled by the company.