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Wages & Hours

Retain new hires with quick pay raises

04/01/2008
The more your organization’s employees learn on the job, the quicker their value skyrockets in the marketplace. Retain new hires by raising their salaries as they gain experience …

Carefully justify pay differential between women and men

04/01/2008
The Equal Pay Act (EPA) requires employers to pay the same to male and female employees who perform jobs requiring equal skill, effort and responsibility. The EPA allows employers to adjust pay rates for legitimate business factors “other than sex.” To use experience as the reason for different pay rates, the employer should create a compelling record showing exactly what kind of experience it considered …

Wage-and-Hour suits are hot

04/01/2008
Wage-and-hour lawsuits are growing exponentially, according to the fourth Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report from national law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP. The U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida led the way with more wage-and-hour filings than any other federal jurisdictions …

Drywall company faces class action suit

04/01/2008
Eight Hispanic workers have filed a class action lawsuit against drywall company Mulcahy Inc., of Mahtomedi, alleging the company paid them less than minimum wage and denied them overtime pay, breaks and health benefits. Because they say they fear retaliation, the workers are suing under the pseudonym “John Doe” …

Must we pay our employee while she serves on a jury?

04/01/2008
Q. We have an employee who is serving on a jury. It’s a long case. Do we have to keep paying her for her time off? — P.J., Minneapolis …

OK to consider qualifications that aren’t in job description when setting pay

04/01/2008
Setting compensation for a highly skilled job applicant may mean having to offer more money than currently paid to employees performing the same type of job. But what if a current employee sues, alleging the pay disparity constitutes some form of discrimination? Can you avoid liability? …

Illinois DOL announces first victory under Equal Pay Act

04/01/2008
The Illinois Department of Labor has won its first case under the state’s Equal Pay Act, which went into effect in 2004. A female clerk for Main Street Liquors in Chicago filed a complaint after she discovered she was earning less than a male clerk for performing the same work …

Wage-and-Hour suits hot

04/01/2008
Wage-and-hour lawsuits are growing exponentially, according to the fourth Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report from national law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Illinois was one of the states experiencing the most significant growth in wage-and-hour filings …

CVS fined for child labor, overtime and timecard violations

04/01/2008
CVS Caremark Corp. was fined $226,000 by the U.S. Labor Department for changing employee timecards and violating child labor laws. The department found 43 violations at stores in seven states …

How long can we wind up handling wage assignments?

04/01/2008
Q. We have received a wage assignment for one of our employees. How long do we have to keep sending money in? …