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Compensation & Benefits

Vacation policy: Keep benchmarks, formality in mind

06/01/2002
The summer vacation season is upon us, and that means it’s time to dust off your company’s time-off policy. Despite lingering uncertainty over the economic recovery and travel safety, 77 …

Dual-Method Time Sheets OK

06/01/2002

Q. Our nonsupervisory, hourly employees punch in using a time clock. Our supervisors write timecards. Is this dual method acceptable or could it lead to legal trouble? —A.N., New Hampshire

Overtime pay doesn’t have to apply to after-hours job training

06/01/2002
Four campus police officers were required to be certified as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) within one year of being hired as probationary police officers. Most of the required classes occurred outside …

EEOC lifts controversial ADEA link to retiree benefits

05/01/2002
Bowing to criticism from employers and employee groups, the EEOC has officially rescinded its policy of applying the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) to employer-sponsored retiree health benefit plans. …

Workers’ Comp Fraud Is Legitimate Reason to Fire

05/01/2002

Q. While on unpaid leave, one of our staffers applied for and was granted workers’ compensation. This person has not expressed any interest in returning to work. She may even be working for someone else. Can we terminate her? —A.L., New York

‘Emotional caregivers’ win FMLA coverage

05/01/2002
Truck driver Joseph Scamihorn Jr. saw his 73-year-old father fall into a deep depression soon after his daughter, Joseph’s sister, was murdered. After notifying his employer, Scamihorn left his job for …

FMLA recordkeeping hassles costing businesses big bucks

05/01/2002
Complying with the information-collection requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) costs large- and medium-size employers an average of $825,000 annually, says a recent survey by the Employment …

Employee’s resignation stops your FMLA obligation

05/01/2002

Q. One of our managers resigned a month ago, but she applied for FMLA leave a day before her resignation. Are we under any obligation to return her to a position she resigned from? Are we obligated to offer her a job when FMLA expires? —T.K., Massachusetts

FMLA Won’t Cover Tardiness

05/01/2002

Q. Some of our employees routinely ask to use FMLA when they are five, 10 or 15 minutes late. It creates a scheduling nightmare and hurts morale. Does FMLA cover employees who are consistently tardy for work? —M.P., Florida

Vacation Accrual Isn’t Required During FMLA Leave

05/01/2002

Q. I’m under the impression that our company is obligated to give employees all vacation accrued up to the time of their FMLA leave, but we’re not obligated to let employees accrue vacation leave during their FMLA leave. Am I right? —B.K., Wisconsin