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Wages & Hours

HR as mobsters: Supreme Court lets workers use organized-Crime law to sue their employers

04/01/2007

The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling that a group of employees at a Georgia carpet company can use state and federal anti-racketeering laws to sue their employer …

Must we pay hourly worker for drive to conference?

04/01/2007

Q. Recently a nonexempt employee left from work to attend a two-day conference. She left at 2:30 p.m. and arrived at the location at 5:00 p.m. I interpret that we should pay for eight hours since her travel was from the work location and within normal work hours. The next day, she left the conference at 4:15 p.m. and arrived back in town at 7 p.m., but she didn’t stop at the office. Since travel time is outside of normal (8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) work hours, is she paid for travel time or just for work hours attending conference? —M.B., Georgia

More clarity on the partial-Day deduction rule

04/01/2007

Q. I have a question about deducting leave for salaried staff. I don’t understand how we can deduct from employees’ paid-leave bank when they are gone for an hour or two during the day, when we don’t pay them anything extra when they work 50 hours in a week. For example, if an employee works 10-hour days on a regular basis, is it OK to charge her vacation time when she leaves an hour or two early? — J.H., Minnesota

In handbook, spell out policies on promotions and pay

04/01/2007

When it comes to promotions and wage increases, it pays to spell out for employees exactly how the process works. That way, you’re less likely to lose a failure-to-promote case or a pay-discrimination suit. …

Automatic deductions for mealtime: Legal, but dangerous

04/01/2007

Take note if you automatically deduct meal periods from your hourly employees’ total hours worked: Although making that deduction isn’t technically illegal and doesn’t by itself violate the Fair Labor Standards Act, it’s a dangerous practice …

Johnnie Cochran’s law firm takes aim at poultry processors

04/01/2007

The Cochran Firm, founded by the late Johnnie Cochran of O.J. Simpson-defense fame, has set its sights on the poultry-processing industry, filing lawsuits for back wages and other workplace violations …

Florida’s climate is right for overtime lawsuits; build your defense

04/01/2007

That dedicated employee working through her lunch period, even though she’s clocked out, could be a Florida employer’s biggest future liability …

State law prohibits dipping into employees’ tip pool

04/01/2007

New York employers in the restaurant industry need to be vigilant. The state’s minimum wage law places tight restrictions on how you divvy up money collected in a tip pool …

How to Comply With Federal Teen-Labor Rules

03/15/2007
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Use the right words to silence pay-Related gripes

03/01/2007

How do employees at your organization feel about their compensation? If the answer is “Not good,” a bit of explanation from you or their supervisors can calm those troubled waters and help reduce turnover …