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Compensation & Benefits

Charging employees for uniforms

04/08/2008
Q. We would like to require employees to pay for their work uniforms. Can we do this? …

Exempt employees and a reduced workweek

04/08/2008
Q. During our slow season, we would like to require employees to work just four days per week in order save on labor costs. Can we require exempt employees to participate? …

Texas state unemployment tax to be partially suspended

04/07/2008
Gov. Rick Perry announced on March 10 that the state’s unemployment insurance replenishment tax will be suspended for one year. As a result of the suspension, about 370,000 affected businesses should see a tax savings of approximately $90 million …

No light-Duty jobs open when employee returns? You don’t have to retain him

04/07/2008
Sometimes, injured employees use up all the leave their employer or the law allows before they’re ready to return to work. If the employee isn’t disabled as defined by the ADA, you can remove the employee from the payroll. (He may still be eligible for workers’ compensation payments.) …

A good reference for a good worker, even though we fired him?

04/07/2008
Q. We had to fire a good worker because of absenteeism problems. When someone who wants to hire him calls to verify past employment, what can we say about this man? …

Starbucks settles overtime suit

04/07/2008
Starbucks recently settled a lawsuit brought by assistant store managers who had accused the coffee company of denying them overtime wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Judge Keith Ellison of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas approved the settlement …

Wage-and-Hour, on-Call and mileage issues for ‘Exempt’ workers

04/07/2008
Q. I own a home-health agency. Although my licensed vocational nurses are paid by the visit, my registered nursing staff is considered management. They are salaried. Are we lawfully required to pay our RNs “on-call” pay or mileage? Although it’s not documented as such, we have taken these things into consideration when setting their salaries …

Colorado employers make Fortune’s ‘Best to work for’ list

04/01/2008

Fortune magazine recently published its 2008 list of “100 Best Companies to Work For,” and three Colorado employers made the list …

Good health incentives in the workplace

04/01/2008
Q. Our staff is wondering why we haven’t implemented a wellness program at work to motivate people to learn and practice good health habits. Are there any restrictions on this? …

N.Y. employers make Fortune’s ‘Best to work for’ list

04/01/2008
Fortune magazine recently published its 2008 list of “100 Best Companies to Work For,” and nine New York companies made the list …