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Wages & Hours

Make the independent contractor vs. employee decision before you bring person on board

02/22/2011
Make sure you make the employee-or-contractor call before you hire an employee. Don’t assume you can make the designation later. That usually won’t work. And you probably won’t even discover the problem until it’s too late to fix it—when a terminated worker files an overtime lawsuit.

Florida sued over floating minimum wage calculations

02/14/2011
In 2004, state voters approved linking the minimum wage to inflation. All went well for a few years, but now a lawsuit says the state got the math wrong two years ago.

Tampa investigation leads to multistate overtime settlement

02/14/2011
When U.S. Department of Labor investigators first looked into ready-mix cement truck drivers’ complaints in Tampa, they didn’t know the investigation would lead to a $1.5 million recovery for CEMEX employees in eight states.

In Illinois, what are the penalties for unpaid wages?

02/11/2011
Q. I heard that employers may soon be prosecuted for not paying employees on time. What are the penalties for employers that violate the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act?

$1.3 million due from O’Hare contractor that stiffed workers

02/11/2011

If your organization performs work for the federal government, consider this case a warning: A company that provides ground transportation services at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport has settled charges it failed to pay prevailing wages to its employees as required by federal contracting rules.

Follow federal FLSA rules to pay for ‘donning & doffing’

02/09/2011
Good news for Minnesota employers that have been worried about how to pay employees for the time they spend putting on and taking off protective clothing before and after their shifts: Paying overtime as required by federal law generally means no additional payment is due under Minnesota law.

Make sure employees record all hours they work

02/09/2011
Do you have an hourly employee who seems to be getting a tremendous amount of work done? Make sure she isn’t skipping breaks.

Women dominate state workforce, but still earn less than men

02/09/2011
In the wake of a recession that disproportionately caused job losses in male-dominated fields such as construction, Minnesota women are faring slightly better these days, according to new research by the nonprofit Independent Women’s Forum.

Avoiding pay complaints: 5 smart strategies

02/08/2011
The key to complying with the FLSA lies in accurate record-keeping. How you track hours is largely up to you, but you must beware several factors that can compromise wage-and-hour compliance. Here are five key strategies to help make sure you stay on the right side of the law.

Does Texas require paid holiday time off?

02/07/2011
Q. Last year, Christmas fell on a Saturday, and one of my employees who normally works Monday through Friday asked me if he would receive an extra day of pay. Are Texas employers required to provide employees with certain paid holidays?