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Compensation & Benefits

Complying with the no-Docking rules

05/01/2007

Q. We are a small company with fewer than 20 employees. While I understand the issue of paying exempt employees full salary and docking from the PTO banks when they’re absent, is there someplace that I can go to get an example of a company policy to support a 40-hour-per-week effort from each employee?—E.R., Virginia

One more thing to worry about: Add ‘Unjust enrichment’ to list of labor claims

05/01/2007

Recently, attorneys have added “unjust enrichment” to the growing list of legal claims lobbed at employers. Simply put, employers who receive a benefit from an employee can be sued if the employer’s retention of that benefit is inequitable …

Require Early Clock-In? Allow Early Clock-Out, or Pay

05/01/2007

Do you require hourly employees to clock in a few minutes before they start their shifts to make sure they’re ready to work? If you don’t start paying at that time, you’d better allow an early clock-out …

Low-Cost, Compassionate Perk: Living Wills for Employees

05/01/2007

Employees have always looked to HR for help as they prepare for the changes that come with life’s big events, like childbirth and retirement. Get ready for more of them to start asking for your advice about how to prepare for death …

Break-Time Massages Ease Stress, Boost Productivity for $1 a Minute

05/01/2007

It costs the California-based digital marketing company Organic $1 a minute to boost its employees’ productivity. How? Through 20-minute massages that employees can take advantage of at the office …

Grants for outdoor journeys garner pride, encourage service

05/01/2007

Washington-based outdoor retailer REI helps its customers and its employees reach their personal outdoor goals. The company offers grants of up to $300 worth of REI gear and apparel to employees embarking on outdoor athletic challenges and outdoor conservation or service projects …

Tell managers: Keep unsolicited dietary advice to yourself

05/01/2007

Michigan has one of the toughest weight discrimination laws in the country—a law that can trip up supervisors who innocently offer diet tips. It’s crucial to train management staff to recognize that discussion concerning an employee’s weight is off-limits …

Good sense or meddling? Scotts’ no-Smoking policy tested in court

05/01/2007

Marysville-based Scotts Miracle-Gro faces a discrimination suit from a lawn care technician fired last fall after testing positive for nicotine in violation of the company’s tobacco-free workplace policy …

Nursing mom protected from discrimination? Maybe

05/01/2007

Some new mothers returning to work after giving birth request time off during the workday to express and store breast milk. Some states have passed specific laws protecting nursing women from harassment and discrimination …

How to discuss late hours without bringing up family obligations

05/01/2007

Q. We have a position open in our sales department for someone who will be planning and executing company-sponsored events, most of which would take place outside normal 9-to-5 working hours. Is there a way we can ask about the applicants’ family situations and make it clear that missing these events because of family obligations would not be tolerated?