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Wages & Hours

Pay former workers promptly; don’t wait for them to ask

07/01/2000

Audra Wales called in sick to the Wendy’s restaurant where she worked on Jan. 11 and then showed up later that day to pick up her regular paycheck. During a dispute …

EEOC beefs up wage-bias arsenal

07/01/2000
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is putting action behind its talk of cracking down on unequal pay. A new internal task force …

Congress clarifies: Stock options are benefits, not pay

07/01/2000
If you give stock options to nonexempt workers, don’t worry that the additional compensation will drive up their overtime pay. President Clinton has signed legislation …

Recover training costs

07/01/2000

Q. Can we require an employee to sign an agreement to reimburse the company for half the expenses related to training, if the employee resigns within six months? —S.D., Northern Marianas

Misleading your employees risks ‘career fraud’ claim

06/01/2000
After General Dynamics reached a settlement in a class-action overtime case, other employees at the company were given the opportunity to “opt in” on the lawsuit in late 1993. But managers allegedly told …

Make sure you have valid reasons for unequal pay

06/01/2000
Valid reasons can include seniority, merit, quality of work, speed of production or, in this case, experience level. Comtech Manufacturing said it paid a male production supervisor 50 cents more an …

Don’t try docking pay for smoking breaks.

06/01/2000
An employer who allowed his workers to take a series of short smoking breaks had to compensate them for the time. Reason: Such approved short breaks (20 minutes or less) are …

Courts split on damages for FLSA retaliation

06/01/2000
Brian Snapp’s boss fired him after finding out Snapp had complained to the U.S. Labor Department that the company violated federal wage laws. A jury awarded Snapp …

Public employers can avoid comp-time cash payouts

06/01/2000
Public employers not only have the leeway to offer comp time to nonexempt workers, they can now force the workers to use it. Congress gave state and local governments the …

If your employees earn tips, beware new audits this fall

06/01/2000
Count on the IRS to resume a controversial audit program aimed at businesses that flagrantly violate tip-reporting rules. It is set to restart on Oct. 1. In addition …