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Compensation & Benefits

Understand your state law on pay cards, direct deposit

06/01/2011
More employers are offering to let ­workers collect their pay on reloadable, prepaid bank cards. But make sure you know your state law: Most states prohibit employers from mandating that workers receive pay electronically.

Benefits 101: Understanding fundamental ERISA compliance

05/31/2011
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 sets minimum standards for retirement and health benefit plans in private industry. ERISA does not require any employer to establish a plan. It only requires those that do to meet certain standards. Complying with ERISA can be difficult because it is a complex law. There are three components to compliance:

Mich. firm holds employee banquet for 21st straight year

05/31/2011
At HHA Services in St. Clair Shores, Mich., managers go all-out to reward high-performing employees with a fancy banquet at a local country club. In fact, they’ve never missed the chance to say thanks in 21 years, even during the recession.

Which forms does nonprofit use to claim health care tax credit?

05/30/2011
Question: We’re a small nonprofit organization and we’re eligible to take the health care tax credit. How do we do this?

Noncompliant gas stations better pump up pay

05/27/2011
New Jersey is one of two states in the country where motorists may not pump their own gas. Now the DOL has launched an investigation into whether those full-service pump jockeys are receiving their full pay.

N.J. women join gender-pay class action against Lockheed

05/27/2011
A federal judge has added two New Jersey women to a national class-­action lawsuit against defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The women claim they were put on slower career paths that provided fewer promotion possibilities and lower pay than men in comparable jobs.

No unemployment if worker never returns from sick leave

05/27/2011
Employees who fail to return to work after taking medical leave can’t claim unemployment benefits if there was a job available when they were medically cleared to work.

Despite EPA’s gender-equity requirements, you do have discretion to set wide salary

05/27/2011

The Equal Pay Act requires employers to pay women and men equally for substantially equal work. Gender can’t be a salary factor. That doesn’t mean employers don’t have considerable flexibility when setting salaries. The fact is that dozens of reasons that have nothing to do with the applicant’s sex may jus­tify different pay scales.

Don’t interfere with overseas FMLA leave

05/27/2011

You may have an employee or two with relatives living in foreign lands. While it may not be an issue that comes up often, you should be prepared to handle requests for time off to care for sick relatives overseas. Don’t try to put unreasonable obstacles in the way.

Is it OK for supervisors and employees to use different methods for recording work hours?

05/27/2011
Q. Our nonsupervisory, hourly employees punch in using a time clock. Our supervisors write timecards. Is this dual method acceptable or could it lead to legal trouble?