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Compensation & Benefits

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 …

Pay for ‘donning, doffing’ time but not for time spent waiting

08/01/2003
As shown by a few recent high-profile court cases, employees should be paid for time spent at the workplace putting on and taking off required work clothes and equipment …

Pay for Prep Time if It’s ‘Integral’ to Job

08/01/2003

Q. We expect our bank tellers to be at their workstations and ready to open at 9:15 a.m. Should the tellers punch in before or after they go to the safe and get their money? —L.S., Michigan

When must you pay for employees’ ‘on-call’ time?

08/01/2003
Issue: Many employers trip over the issue of when to pay on-call workers.
Risk: One mistake can result in big damages, forcing you to pay several workers for years of …

Don’t change benefits without union’s knowledge.

08/01/2003
For more than 30 years, a company sponsored blood donation drives twice a year. Employees could participate during paid work time. But when the com-pany changed its policy, …

Big settlement over dress code will spark scrutiny of uniform law

08/01/2003
Avoid dress-code rules that have no clear business reason or health and safety reason, plus check with your state labor department to see if your state has a pay-for-uniform …

Examine entire contractor link, not just uniforms

08/01/2003

Q. Can our company require an independent contractor to wear a specific uniform? And can we stipulate that the contractor buy the uniform through us? —A.C., California

Ease bumpy workplace re-entry for returning reservists

08/01/2003
Issue: Reservists returning from war create special challenges for your work force and your organization.
Risk: Loss of productivity and distractions among staff; reservists may face challenges at work and …

ERISA: No need to defer to employees’ physicians in disability disputes.

07/01/2003
When a dispute arises over whether an employee’s injury makes him eligible for disability benefits, you don’t have to defer to the employee’s personal …

Don’t make promises the company might not keep

07/01/2003
Issue: Courts will make your company follow through on oral promises you make about benefits.
Risk: You or an ill-informed manager could inadvertently force your company to provide benefits it …