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Compensation & Benefits

Paying for travel time: Know the rules of the road

09/01/2003
Issue: Paying nonexempt workers for travel time can be tricky, especially if it involves several work sites or overnight travel.
Risk: Thousands of dollars, or more, in back pay …

Do interns have to be paid?

09/01/2003

Q. We plan on hiring a college intern this year. Do we have to pay that person? —L.M., New York

You can require mandatory overtime

09/01/2003

Q. A new employee has just informed his supervisor that he can’t work any overtime. Can we legally fire this person? —G.M., Virginia

Expand benefits lineup at little cost with ‘voluntary’ perks

08/01/2003
Issue: Benefit costs are rising, but you need to offer a competitive package to retain good workers.
Benefit: Voluntary benefits let you beef up your benefits without much additional cost. …

Look to local colleges for training

08/01/2003
Issue: Community colleges provide high-quality employee training at a reasonable cost.
Benefit: Employees learn new skills and feel more loyal to your organization …

Promote the value of your benefits plan

08/01/2003
Studies show that employees who keep their jobs after a round of layoffs tend to view their benefits package less highly. Nip that attitude in the bud by distributing a personalized …

Don’t ignore ergonomics: Risks remain, OSHA can still fine

08/01/2003
Issue: Repetitive-stress injuries didn’t disappear just because OSHA’s mandatory rules were repealed.
Risk: Ergonomic injuries hurt productivity and, surprisingly, you’re still vulnerable to government penalties …

Study: Fair managers = healthy employees

08/01/2003
Here’s a simple way to cut your health costs: Encourage managers to lower their voice and treat employees more fairly. Reason: Employees who work under bosses who are judged to be …

Different vacation policies are legal if done fairly

08/01/2003

Q. We are rewriting our vacation pay policy. Currently, we have two categories of hourly employees. Can we offer 10 vacation days after two years to some employees and five days for the same period to other employees? Can we offer different benefits to salaried and hourly employees? —S.P., Washington

Indefinite leave is not a ‘reasonable accommodation’

08/01/2003
Issue: How long must you accommodate medical-related leaves of absence?
Benefit: Court rulings give you legal backing to draw a line in the calendar.
Action: Don’t let employees …