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FLSA

Small amount at stake in employee suit? Know when it’s best to consider settling

03/22/2012

Sometimes, it’s better to settle than to fight. If a case is pretty clear and the potential liability small, it makes sense to pony up the settlement money. Otherwise, a court may punish bullheadedness with a large award for attorneys’ fees.

How to make ‘no unauthorized OT’ policy work

03/22/2012
The first step to controlling overtime costs is to establish a sound policy forbidding unauthorized extra work for hourly employees. But a “no unauthorized overtime” policy is just the beginning. It’s what you do after implementing the policy that counts.

Interns fighting back: Must you pay them?

03/22/2012
A handful of high-profile legal disputes are shining a bright light on an often-ignored issue: Should employers be required to pay interns at least the minimum wage?

Roads closed due to emergency: Still pay staff?

03/20/2012
Q. During snowstorms and floods, the government sometimes declares a state of emergency in certain counties. No one is permitted to be on roads except essential employees and emergency vehicles. Do we have to pay employees who can’t come to work because of the restrictions?

What are the criteria for unpaid internships?

03/14/2012
Q. We would like to hire a few college interns over the summer, but with our tight budget, I don’t think we can pay them. What rules apply to unpaid internships?

Flat rate leads to lump-sum settlement

03/14/2012
A federal court has ordered Roseville-based Aspen Nursing Services to pay more than $210,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to 22 employees in Kentucky and Ohio.

Shocker: Class-action case doesn’t break the bank

03/14/2012
Not every collective or class-action case has to blow up into a multimillion-dollar nightmare. Instead, some judges are approving more modest settlements, if this case is any indication.

Which of these HR issues causes the biggest problems in your organization?

03/13/2012
The day-to-day squabbles of the working world cause the biggest problems for most HR pros.

FLSA retaliation: New DOL fact sheet

03/13/2012
The DOL has a new fact sheet covering illegal retaliation against employees who complain about possible violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Reminder: The FLSA’s anti-retaliation pro­vision applies to all employees, not just non­exempts.

Pharma biz: Does anyone make a pill for HR headaches?

03/09/2012
The pharmaceutical industry must have a bull’s-eye on its back, because employees’ attorneys continue to take aim at it, filing class-action lawsuits that allege unfair or illegal pay practices.