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Wages & Hours

37 ways to lower your health care costs

06/15/2010
Average employer-paid health benefit costs have increased about 6% per year for the last five years. At least in the short term, the new health care reform law may make the problem even worse. All the more reason to act now to get your health care costs under control. Here are 37 strategies worth trying.

When must you pay interns? DOL aims to clarify controversial question by issuing new guidance

06/14/2010
As we told you last month, the DOL and many state agencies are cracking down on employers that illegally fail to pay their interns. Now the DOL has published “Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act” that helps clarify employers’ obligations.

Worker who earned a master’s degree says she wants a raise: Must we give it?

06/10/2010
Q. We have an employee who just earned a master’s degree. She wants a raise. Is there any legal requirement that we pay someone with an advanced degree more than other employees?

How should we handle pay for employee who will be out two weeks on National Guard duty?

06/09/2010
Q. One of our full-time employees has just informed us that he will be on two weeks of National Guard duty soon. He will be absent from work to attend an annual encampment in a reserve branch of the armed forces. What are our legal obligations concerning pay to this employee?

Prepare for the crackdown: DOL focuses on wage underpayment

06/09/2010

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is stepping up efforts to encourage and support certain types of wage-loss claims by low-income workers. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced in April that the department was rolling out its “We Can Help” campaign to address this issue. If you employ relatively low-wage workers, you need to be aware of this program.

What are the legal risks of not paying interns?

06/09/2010
Q. For years, we have used student interns during the summer months. Because they are interns, we do not pay for their services. Is this legal?

Longer workday gives 2 weeks off for Solix employees

06/04/2010

About half of the 400 employees at the Parsippany, N.J., headquarters of outsourcing firm Solix don’t report for work for two weeks around the December holidays—but the other half do. Members of a work group that specializes in business processes for schools and libraries mirrors the schedule of its clients, which typically are closed for the holidays.

How should we handle tip calculations that factor out credit card fees?

06/02/2010
Q. Our employees receive tips, and we take advantage of the tip credit toward the minimum wage. In the past, we have paid employees the full tip amount on credit card charges, even though we have to pay a percentage fee to the credit card company. It doesn’t seem fair that we should have to pay money that we don’t really receive. How may we resolve this fairly and legally?

When commuting time varies, do we have to pay for trips in excess of ‘normal’?

06/02/2010
Q. Our maintenance employees drive company vehicles and keep them overnight. The employees are responsible for servicing a number of stores. Some days, they report to our warehouse to pick up parts before going to their first location. On other days, they report directly to a work site … Do we have to pay them for any time in excess of their normal commuting time to the warehouse?

If we fire dishonest employee, can he collect unemployment comp and vacation pay?

06/02/2010
Q. We have an employee who recently submitted an expense report for more than $1,300 for an extended business trip. We accidentally reimbursed him twice. He did not report the double payment and we did not learn of the mistake until an internal audit two months later. Our company policy prohibits dishonesty and we want to fire the worker for violating this rule. Will he be able to collect unemployment benefits? May we withhold the vacation pay that is due to him under our policy, which would just about make us whole?