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FLSA

Careful what you wish for at IBM

05/01/2008
Victory wasn’t so sweet for thousands of employees who sued Armonk-based IBM claiming the company had illegally classified them as exempt. IBM agreed to reclassify them, making them eligible for overtime pay. The catch? The company cut their salaries by 15% …

Is comp time legal in lieu of overtime?

04/25/2008
Q. Can our company legally offer comp time instead of overtime? I’ve received conflicting answers. …

Federal minimum wage takes another jump on July 24

04/24/2008
On July 24, the federal minimum wage will take the second step in its three-step increase. The wage floor will rise from its current $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour …

Wachovia sued for back wages

04/23/2008
Carrie Williams, an employee at a Wachovia call center in Alabama, has filed a lawsuit alleging the company failed to pay employees for time spent logging onto computers before taking calls …

Prepping for work: How much time do you have to pay for?

04/21/2008
Perhaps no other aspect of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is more confusing than the so-called “donning and doffing” provisions. Exactly what preliminary preparation before work and cleanup after work should be included in paid time? Fortunately, a recent case helps clarify that employers don’t need to pay workers for many preliminary and post-work activities …

Can you set work-time minimums for exempt staff?

04/17/2008

Q. All our department managers are salaried. When they’re hired, they agree in writing to work at least 50 hours per week. If they miss a day or work only 45 hours in a week, can we deduct from their salaries? — B.L., Florida  …

You don’t have to pay for all employee training

04/15/2008

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to compensate employees for any time spent on the job that benefits the employer. There are, however, some exceptions. For example, if employees use their own time to study materials that will qualify them for promotions, that time generally doesn’t have to be paid.

Rites of spring: The hidden dangers of hiring unpaid interns

04/08/2008

The calendar turns to spring, and you know what’s coming. It’s that time of year when employers are swamped with requests from college students for unpaid internships. The benefits of the symbiotic relationship are obvious. But the legal risks are not …

Charging employees for uniforms

04/08/2008
Q. We would like to require employees to pay for their work uniforms. Can we do this? …

Exempt employees and a reduced workweek

04/08/2008
Q. During our slow season, we would like to require employees to work just four days per week in order save on labor costs. Can we require exempt employees to participate? …