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Wages & Hours

No money for promised pay raise: Now what?

01/12/2010

Q. Do we have to conduct regular performance appraisals and give annual increases? We told a new hire that we would, but now don’t have time or money to do so.

Can I get online answers to pay questions?

01/11/2010

Q. Can you steer me toward any online information about how to correctly pay employees’ wages?

Oil rig builder will pay $400K in back wages, OT

01/07/2010

Rife Industrial Marine, a Nederland company that builds oil rigs, has agreed to pay $401,355 in back wages to 567 welders and laborers engaged in offshore construction. A DOL investigation found that the company incorrectly classified some pay as reimbursements for employee travel expenses and failed to pay overtime on those wages.

Scotland petro firm docked for stiffing Texas workers

01/07/2010

A British company recently agreed to pay about $400,000 in back overtime pay for violating Texas labor laws. Nearly 500 contracted construction and technical workers and engineers working for the American branch of Scotland-based RBG Limited accused the company of improperly compensating them under both federal and state laws.

Can we buy pizza and soda to pay workers for a missed lunch break due to a heavy workload?

01/07/2010

Q. Occasionally, when we receive a big order, our nonexempt employees have to work through their lunch breaks. Although we do not pay them for this work, we buy pizzas and sodas for all the affected workers. Is this lawful?

Flex, time off for charity create ‘family culture’

01/06/2010

As a mother of three kids herself, Juli Spottiswood says “work and home balance is a core part of who we are” at employee incentive provider Parago. She should know—she’s president and co-founder of the firm. Parents with sick children are encouraged to stay home with them; the Lewisville, Texas, organization provides employees with the technology to access company files from home. Flexible schedules are a given.

Want to get bosses’ attention on bias problems? Remind them they can be held personally liable

01/06/2010

Here’s a powerful reason for managers and supervisors in New Jersey to understand the ins and outs of discrimination and labor laws. If they commit a discriminatory act, they could be personally liable.

Closing early due to snow: Must we pay for full day?

01/05/2010

Q. During inclement weather, we sometimes close the office early and send employees home. Do we have to pay them for the whole day?

FLSA: Record-Keeping Requirements

01/02/2010

HR Law 101: The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to keep records on wages, hours and other employee data, most of which is generally maintained in ordinary business practice. You do not need to keep the records in any particular form or use time clocks …

Internal wage-and-hour complaints don’t count as ‘testimony’ in FLSA retaliation cases

12/24/2009

The Fair Labor Standards Act includes a retaliation clause that bars employers from punishing employees who provide “testimony” in FLSA cases. That doesn’t mean, however, that employees who complain internally about wage-and-hour issues are automatically protected.