Wages & Hours

Court upholds overtime exemption for all seamen, not just pilots and captains

03/02/2016

The Fair Labor Standards Act includes exemptions for certain professions, including one for commercial seaman. Some seafaring workers have recently tried to narrow the exemption by arguing that it only applies to employees who actively navigate vessels.

Avoid overtime disputes: Do the math right the first time

03/02/2016

Overtime: One and one-half times an employee’s regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a work week. Each part of this simple definition carries a lot of baggage

Harrisburg mayor’s bookstore stiffed employees on overtime

02/29/2016

The Midtown Scholar bookstore in Harrisburg has paid just over $1,800 to 15 employees to settle charges the store miscalculated their overtime payments.

Feds tap brakes on mileage rate, drop to 54 cents per mile

02/26/2016

Reflecting the steep drop in gas prices, the IRS’ standard mileage rate decreases to 54 cents a mile from 57.5 cents a mile for 2016.

Long Beach switches on minimum-wage escalator

02/25/2016

On Jan. 20, the Long Beach City Council voted 6–2 to approve a multi-year plan to raise the city’s minimum wage as a way to reduce poverty.

Arbitrator may decide issues to be covered

02/25/2016

A federal court has concluded that an employer and employee can agree that claims will be arbitrated and that an arbitrator can decide if the parties had the right to agree on the subject matter.

DOL seeks bigger 2017 budget for wage-and-hour enforcement

02/17/2016

The Obama administration wants more money for wage-and-hour enforcement next year, even as it asks for less funding overall for the Department of Labor.

DOL targets West Coast fast food franchises for wage enforcement

02/13/2016

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has launched an enforcement initiative on the West Coast aimed at ensuring workers at fast food establishments are being paid the proper minimum wage and receiving overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours per week.

A couple tips on unemployment

02/12/2016

No do-overs on resignation reason … Employer deserves chance to fix problem

No pay for bathroom breaks costs Pa. firm $1.75M

02/06/2016

A federal court last month ordered a Pennsylvania media company to pay more than $1.75 million to 6,000 employees who were docked pay for bathroom breaks and other types of short breaks.