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Compensation & Benefits

Is it OK to pay hourly workers comp time instead of overtime?

02/12/2009

Q. Is it legal for my company to pay our hourly employees comp time instead of paying time-and-a-half for overtime worked?

Federal minimum wage to top Florida’s $7.21 on July 24

02/12/2009

By now, you have probably adjusted your payroll software and hourly wage information to reflect the new Florida minimum wage of $7.21 per hour, which was effective on Jan. 1 …

What’s the hourly rate for family member caring for employee out on workers’ comp?

02/12/2009

Q. One of our employees was injured at work and is now receiving workers’ compensation benefits and leave. One of his family members provides attendant care for him. What hourly rate of pay should this family member receive for her services?

Corporatewide pay policies reduce class-action risk

02/12/2009

It’s one thing to have to pay a wage-and-hour claim for one or two employees. It’s quite another to have to defend a giant class-action overtime suit. One way to cut the risk that a minor problem will morph into a huge lawsuit is to enforce clear overtime rules.

Feel free to set different pay rates, but prepare to document business reasons why

02/12/2009

Pay discrimination has received lots of attention lately, especially since the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act became law in January. Employees now have longer to sue over pay disparity.

Audit pay averages for women and men to learn if you’re at risk for pay-bias suit

02/12/2009

Pay disparities between men and women are in the news. Here’s how to find out whether you’re in danger of being sued: Take all your employees working in the same classification, divide them into male and female groups and then determine each sex’s average salary.

Don’t even think about ignoring DOL investigation, requests

02/12/2009

A Michigan employer has learned a tough lesson: Ignore the U.S. Department of Labor at your peril. Its employees won their lawsuit—even though they had no proof of wrongdoing—simply because the employer ignored the DOL’s request for records and failed to show up in court.

Prudential benefits support adult caregivers

02/11/2009

After 38% of Prudential Financial’s employees identified themselves as adult caregivers in a 2004 survey, the financial services firm started ramping up its elder care benefits. Today, the firm offers more than half a dozen benefits for employees who help out older parents and spouses.

Oregon firm pays employees to leave their cars at home

02/11/2009

When execs at David Evans and Associates wanted to make their organization more sustainable, they started with their employees’ commutes. The firm pays its 953 employees up to $6 a day to leave their cars at home and commute by walking, biking, car pooling or riding the bus.

Company pays cost of child care during employee business trip

02/11/2009

Business travelers who work for Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly don’t pay for extra child care during business trips; the organization does. Or, if the employee prefers, the child can go on the trip, too—on the company dime.