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FLSA

Former ‘Charlie Rose’ intern seeks class-action lawsuit

04/03/2012
Public television shows often operate on a shoestring. According to Lucy Bickerton, the PBS “Charlie Rose” interview show was so cheap, it used interns like her to fill in for actual employees.

Extremely small businesses may be exempt from FLSA

04/03/2012
Almost every employer is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s wage-and-hour provisions unless it’s specifically exempted. But some truly local and isolated entities may not be, depending on the specifics.

Batali’s employees rake in millions in belated tip income

04/03/2012
Manhattan celebrity chef Mario Batali has agreed to a $5.25 million settlement with waiters, bartenders, busboys and other floor staff at several of his restaurants.

No matter how many clients, temps must still get OT pay

03/30/2012
Dallas-based staffing agency Temp Team has agreed to settle FLSA violations un­­covered during a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation. The $244,104 settlement will be split among 252 current and former employees.

Interns and the FLSA: When do they have to be paid?

03/30/2012
On the surface, internship arrangements look like a win-win: The employer gets free labor. The intern gets valuable training and builds skills. But before you get carried away by the prospect of marvelous production for virtually no cost, let’s have a reality check.

Follow 4 tips to comply with FLSA’s overtime regulations

03/27/2012
The FLSA sets strict rules for how you pay employees, including who can earn overtime pay and how much it must be. Fail to follow them and you could wind up on the losing end of a lawsuit, potentially liable for millions of dollars. Make sure your organization establishes practices and procedures that prevent overtime mistakes. Four important tips:

After Wal-Mart, Illinois court & 7th Circuit uphold class certification

03/22/2012
Class-action litigation returned to the spotlight with last year’s Supreme Court decision in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes. In Wal-Mart v. Dukes, the Supreme Court refused to certify what would have been the largest-ever employment class action against a private employer. Now the 7th Circuit has weighed in.

Small amount at stake in employee suit? Know when it’s best to consider settling

03/22/2012

Sometimes, it’s better to settle than to fight. If a case is pretty clear and the potential liability small, it makes sense to pony up the settlement money. Otherwise, a court may punish bullheadedness with a large award for attorneys’ fees.

How to make ‘no unauthorized OT’ policy work

03/22/2012
The first step to controlling overtime costs is to establish a sound policy forbidding unauthorized extra work for hourly employees. But a “no unauthorized overtime” policy is just the beginning. It’s what you do after implementing the policy that counts.

Interns fighting back: Must you pay them?

03/22/2012
A handful of high-profile legal disputes are shining a bright light on an often-ignored issue: Should employers be required to pay interns at least the minimum wage?