As the federal minimum wage debate heats up, the real challenge for employers could be at the state level, if a dozen pending measures to increase state minimum wages gain traction. The proposals share DNA with federal measures being pushed…
Tag Archives: minimum wage
Key Wage-and-hour Language to Have in Your Employee Handbook
March 27, 2013 – 12:03 pm
To prevent the consequences from imprecise employee handbook language, employers should regularly review their handbooks and written policies. Since wage and hour lawsuits make up a significant part of litigation, W&H provisions can make a difference as you draft or…
Can We Hire a Foreign Exchange Student as an Intern?
March 18, 2013 – 10:38 am
We are an accounting firm that frequently hires area college students to intern for short periods throughout the year. We recently received a few outstanding applications from foreign students attending the local college. Can we hire foreign students as interns?…
DOL Uses Demographics to Push Back Against Critics of Obama’s Minimum Wage Proposals
February 28, 2013 – 6:19 pm
The Obama administration is working to keep its minimum wage hike proposal in the public eye, and simultaneously appears to be pushing back against critics who charge that raising the minimum wage would not help working families. On Feb. 28,…
A Dollar by Any Other Name Must Still Equal Minimum Wage
February 15, 2013 – 12:09 pm
Some employers don’t just need to know the federal wage-and-hour rules — they also need to know the currency exchange rate if they pay workers in a non-U.S. currency. Paying workers in a foreign currency is acceptable under the Fair…
DOL Gets Serious About Federal Contractor Compliance; Slaps Companies with $1M in Back Wages in November
December 21, 2012 – 3:36 pm
Companies that violate the federal government contractor laws risk not just fines and citations from the U.S. Department of Labor, but also debarment that prevents them from bidding on any other federal contracts for a specified period. For a company…
Starbucks Gets a Triple Shot of Damages as $14.1 Million Wage-and-Hour Award Upheld
November 14, 2012 – 6:27 pm
The penalties for noncompliance with state wage-and-hour laws can be more onerous than that under federal law, which coffee company Starbucks learned the hard way. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently rejected the company’s appeal of a $14.1…
Contractors for Storm Clean-up Pose Misclassification Risks
November 1, 2012 – 11:48 am
Hurricane Sandy’s path of destruction has left many homeowners, municipalities and businesses in need of reconstruction and repairs — and when such weather-related disasters require massive reconstruction efforts, many landscapers and builders hire subcontractors to help. Increased joint employer liability,…
New York and California Trying to Clean up FLSA Abuses at Car Washes
April 17, 2012 – 3:08 pm
As spring rolls in, muddy cars are a frequent occurrence, and car washes typically see increased patronage in the spring and summer months — which means longer hours for car wash employees. However, those employees are still entitled to overtime…
No Matter How You Pay Them, Tips Belong to Employees
March 19, 2012 – 12:45 pm
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…