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Wages & Hours

High Court to review cap on damages

02/01/2001
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could hold down awards in workplace discrimination cases. At issue is whether a $300,000 cap on compensatory damages that …

How to respond when unions come a knockin’

02/01/2001
No union, no problem. Right? Not really. Even if your company isn’t unionized now, you can’t afford to be oblivious. Just ask Amazon.com. In the thick of the holiday shopping …

State Law Varies on When Clock Tolls for Overtime

02/01/2001

Q. What’s the definition of a standard workweek? One of our employees claims that overtime is defined as anything over eight hours per workday. Is he correct? —P.F., Minnesota

New schedule legal, barring contract or illegal reason

02/01/2001

Q. Our company of 15 employees manufactures labels in California. We have an employee whom we want to move from the day shift to the swing shift. Although this employee has the most seniority, he has the least experience with the presses we run during the day. When we told the employee of our plans, he said that moving him would be illegal. Is he correct? We are worried that if we move him and he quits, it won’t be the last time that we hear from him. —T.R., California

Craft bonuses carefully

12/01/2000
When a financial analyst changed jobs, he left behind $120,000 in bonuses. The bonus plan paid benefits in quarterly installments but was contingent on continued employment with the company. A New …

OSHA ergonomics rules to take effect Jan. 16

12/01/2000
The Clinton administration has pushed through controversial ergonomics regulations that are to take effect four days before the inauguration. Several business groups have filed suit to block the regulations. Their …

Year-old pay comparisons can show bias

11/01/2000
Carol Broadus did it all, from building computers to training employees to fixing problems, all for an hourly rate that equaled about $22,000 a year. But within …

Know the law on what’s considered paid and unpaid on-call time

11/01/2000
Electronic technicians for Oklahoma Gas & Electric were required to monitor pagers and home computers while they were on call nights and weekends. Even though …

Adapt work schedules to worship, religious TV shows included

11/01/2000
Employers are required to adjust work schedules to accommodate their employees’ religious observances, even for nontraditional beliefs. In a recent case, an employee …

Plan any deductions for personal calls

11/01/2000

Q. We allow employees to use their company-issued cell phones for personal purposes up to a certain number of minutes every month. A recently discharged employee exceeded her monthly allotment. Can we recoup the cost of these extra minutes by withholding the amount from her last check? —P.P., South Carolina