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Compensation & Benefits

3 ways to tell if your wellness program is paying off

07/21/2011

Congratulations! You’ve cleared the first wellness hurdle: Executives have finally agreed to implement a wellness program. But now they’re asking for hard evidence that the company’s financial investment in the program will pay off. If measuring your program’s ROI seems akin to scaling Mount Everest, take comfort in the fact that more and more employers are successfully making the climb.

Can we offer pizza instead of pay when employees must work through lunch?

07/19/2011
Q. Occasionally, when we receive a big order, our nonexempt employees are required to work through their lunch break. Although we do not pay them overtime for this work, we buy pizzas and sodas for all the affected workers. Is this lawful?

State pay law now covers out-of-state employees working in California

07/19/2011

A unanimous California Supreme Court has ruled that California-based employers must pay out-of-state resident employees based on the provisions of the California Labor Code, even if those employees only visit the state on a limited, temporary basis. The decision is worrisome for multi­state employers because it may open the door for more employee lawsuits seeking the generous protections offered by California law.

One-on-one counseling helps employees understand benefits

07/19/2011
On average, 30% to 40% of an employee’s total compensation is wrapped up in benefits. Unfortunately, employees often have no idea that’s the case. The most effective way to make sure employees really understand the benefits you offer, their value and why they’re a great deal is to tell them face-to-face.

ERISA lawsuits not limited to plan administrators

07/19/2011
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has clarified who can sue for unpaid benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

Are those employees similarly situated? Not if they’re acting like free agents

07/19/2011
A federal court has rejected a bid by two former employees to represent other similarly situated employees, based on the employer’s claim of conflict of interest. The court agreed that these particular employees weren’t the best choice to represent other workers.

No lunch, no break? You owe for 2 more hours

07/19/2011
The Court of Appeal of California has finally clarified how much em­­ployers owe employees who don’t get their required meal and other breaks. The penalty is two hours of pay per day if workers missed both types of breaks.

Classifying employees? Examine specific tasks

07/19/2011

Courts are becoming more reluctant to authorize massive class-action lawsuits. Example: A federal court has ruled that assistant restaurant managers who believe they were misclassified must bring individual lawsuits. They can’t proceed as a class. The practical impact: Most likely, lower damages.

Late W-2c forms are now twice as costly

07/19/2011
The 2010 Small Business Jobs Act doubles the penalty—now $100, up from $50—for each missing or incorrect 2010 Form W-2 that is filed or corrected after Aug. 1, 2011.

Telework on the decline, thanks to down economy

07/15/2011
The total number of people who worked from home or another remote location for an entire day at least once a month has declined for the first time since the non­profit WorldatWork began measuring telework in 2003. The pull-back from telework reflects a psychological shift driven by the anemic economy, according to authors of a WorldatWork report.