Avoid Overtime Overages From Mobile Device Use
Employers need to spell out their policies for off-hours use of mobile devices for work purposes or they risk racking up unnecessary overtime. Mobile devices have worked their way into virtually every area of our lives, both at work and…
IRS on How 401(k) Administration Is Affected by Excess Compensation
When an employee’s compensation exceeds the annual limit, how does that affect 401(k) salary deferrals and what employers and plan administrators have to do? In the March 20, 2012 edition of Employee Plans News, the IRS provides an answer. The…
Final Health Reform Exchange Rules Flesh Out Privacy and Security Requirements
Final rules that will govern the state-based insurance exchanges created by health reform include more detailed privacy and security requirements for the exchanges themselves and participating insurers. These restrictions also will apply indirectly to agents, brokers and others involved in…
In a Rare ADA Case Involving Bipolar Disorder, Worker Is Awarded $56K
A worker with bipolar disorder was awarded more than $56,000 after a federal district court found that his employer fired him because of his disability, in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The case is one of the…
Successful Wellness Programs Require Ongoing Commitment, Tailoring to Employees
Getting good results from an employee wellness program requires a continuing organizational commitment and understanding of what motivates individual employees, wellness expert Brad Cooper told a recent Thompson Interactive webinar. He warned of some common wellness program pitfalls. One is…
GSA Chastened Over ‘Lavish’ Conference Expenses
Federal offices have to follow federal travel guidelines, and federal rates form the basis of tax treatment of private sector business travel reimbursements as well. But what happens when the federal government agency that develops travel policy goes astray from…
6th Circuit: Failure to Pay Employee Salary Removed his ‘Exempt’ Status
An exempt employee must actually be paid in order to retain that exempt status, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently held. The case, Orton v. Johnny’s Lunch Franchise, involved a salaried employee who sued his employer for wages…
How to Implement a Workplace Breastfeeding Policy
The letter of the law may only require employers to extend breaks and access to a lactation room to eligible employees on an as needed basis, but many companies are taking a proactive approach and looking to implement policies that…
Why You Need a Retaliation Prevention Policy
Employee retaliation claims are skyrocketing, and in 2011 these claims were the number one complaint to the EEOC. As a result, you need to know how to prevent retaliation claims from happening. At SHRM’s legislative conference in Washington, D.C. earlier…
No Matter How You Pay Them, Tips Belong to Employees
Even non-exempt employees can cause confusion and employer liability under the FLSA. Often, employers run into trouble when attempting to classify their employees for purposes of pay exemptions. But equally tricky is how to pay non-exempt employees who have non-traditional…