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Compensation & Benefits

Biased pay policies cost school district millions

04/25/2008
A federal jury has awarded $1.2 million to 12 teachers who sued the Elizabeth Forward School District in Allegheny County for age discrimination. The teachers alleged they were hired at the lowest pay scale because they were older women …

Handling a worker who clocks in early

04/25/2008

Q. We’ve repeatedly warned a part-time employee about clocking in earlier than he’s supposed to—sometimes more than an hour early. We know that we have to pay him for any hours worked, but what can we legally do to get him to work only the hours set for his position? Also, can we reprimand a co-worker who has been clocking in for him? …

Is comp time legal in lieu of overtime?

04/25/2008
Q. Can our company legally offer comp time instead of overtime? I’ve received conflicting answers. …

Is your PEO ripping you off? A primer on the fine print

04/24/2008
Say you’ve decided to hire a professional employer organization (PEO) to handle some of your HR services—or you’re considering new PEO vendors to replace your current one. You have a choice of more than 700 PEOs to choose from. Prices and services offered by PEOs vary so much it’s hard to spot the best deal …

Federal minimum wage takes another jump on July 24

04/24/2008
On July 24, the federal minimum wage will take the second step in its three-step increase. The wage floor will rise from its current $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour …

One-Quarter admit to giving fake late-To-Work excuses

04/24/2008
According to a new CareerBuilder survey, 24% of employees admit to making up fake excuses to explain their tardiness. When asked for the primary cause for their lateness, employees cite traffic (32%) …

Employers cutting hours as economy slows

04/24/2008
With business slowing, many employers are choosing to trim employees’ hours rather than cut jobs—so far, according to new U.S. Department of Labor stats. Unemployment hasn’t jumped dramatically, but the hours worked by the average private-sector U.S. employee declined in March …

Wal-Mart touts savings from generic drug program

04/23/2008
Arkansas-based Wal-Mart says its $4 generic prescription drug program has saved consumers $1 billion as of March. The company reports that the $4 prescriptions now account for 40% of all prescriptions it fills. North Carolina consumers benefited from the third-highest savings nationwide: $48,241,530 …

Continuation medical coverage and small North Carolina employers

04/23/2008
Q. Does North Carolina have a “little” COBRA Act that requires small employers to offer continued health insurance to terminated employees? …

Termination and unemployment comp

04/23/2008
Q. We have terminated a poorly performing employee and she has applied for unemployment benefits. Since she was terminated, is she entitled to benefits? …