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Wages & Hours

No pay? No doubt you will face a lawsuit!

07/24/2012
Never skip a payday. That’s just asking to be sued, as the following case shows.

Hey, we just wanted the lease, not the legal bills!

07/24/2012
Sunset Car Wash had no idea it was about to be cleaned out when it took over the lease from Auto Spa Express. A court has ruled Sunset must pay back wages and penalties owed to Auto Spa’s former em­­ployees.

Does sharing employees equal sharing overtime liability?

07/19/2012
Q: A client has two stores that are separate franchises. Both stores share employees, including the store manager. How can we calculate overtime when an employee works at both stores, and how do we allocate those hours between the stores?

School’s out: Know federal, state restrictions on youth employment

07/13/2012
Summertime is when employers can capitalize on an influx of eager school-age workers looking for seasonal jobs. Summer jobs can be great for both young workers and employers, but you should be mindful of federal and state child labor laws.

Ensure you can justify gender pay disparities

07/13/2012

There may be many reasons em­­ployees end up earning different salaries for similar work. Pay disparities often grow gradually, over time. That can mean big trouble under the Equal Pay Act. If you aren’t tracking all pay changes and noting the reason, you may end up liable for sex discrimination.

DOL makes Gainesville eatery pay more than just tips

07/12/2012
“Nopalera” is Spanish for a “patch of prickly cactus.” That’s exactly where the owners of a Gainesville restaurant called La Nopalera found themselves after the DOL discovered they weren’t paying wages to Hispanic employees, making them work for tips alone.

Adjust internal pay scales to end sex bias

07/12/2012
The Equal Pay Act (EPA) requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for substantially similar work. If you discover a pay disparity between substantially similar male and female employees, fix the problem right away to let women catch up. Don’t use pay policies as an excuse to slow the process.

Changing compensation systems? Here’s how to avoid age discrimination claims

07/12/2012
If you are contemplating changing your compensation structure to reflect today’s lean job market, do so carefully—especially if you suspect you may be overpaying some employees for the work they do. The problem: Older, more experienced workers may be at the top of your pay scales.

Shorten up your work hours for summer

07/12/2012
As temperatures soar and vacation season kicks into high gear, your organization can score significant points with employees by making short work of summer Fridays.

Paying nonexempt employees a salary? Be sure to get agreement on hourly rate

07/05/2012

Determining the amount of overtime pay depends on identifying an em­­ployee’s hourly rate for the first 40 hours. That can sometimes be more complicated than it sounds, especially for organizations that pay their hourly employees a set amount for their entire workweek, including overtime.