FLSA

Paying workers with debit cards isn’t as easy as it seems

10/10/2013

More employers are pushing their workers to receive pay via debit cards. But not all employees want to be paid that way—and the law is often on their side.

Federal wage-and-hour law to cover home health aides

10/07/2013

The DOL has announced final rules extending FLSA minimum wage and overtime protections to most workers who provide home care assistance to elderly, sick and disabled people. The rules will go into effect Jan. 1, 2015.

Can we require overtime work?

10/02/2013

Q. When our business gets busy, is it legal for us to require our nonexempt employees to work overtime on occasion?

Don’t let court take employee’s word on hours

10/01/2013

Here’s a case that should send chills down your spine if you don’t keep meticulous records of every hour worked. A court has allowed a case to proceed based on little more than a worker’s vague allegation that she wasn’t paid overtime for hours in excess of 40 per week.

What are the rules on paying for time spent putting on protective gear?

09/30/2013

Q. Our company policy states that employees are not compensated for the time spent changing into their uniforms, which includes special protective wear. A new employee was surprised to find out he couldn’t clock in before getting geared up. Are we required to pay workers for that time, or is it up to the discretion of each individual company?

No C-Suite office? You may still be liable for FLSA violations

09/19/2013

A federal appeals court recently ruled that personal liability for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act extends beyond corporate officers to individuals who exercise control over significant aspects of a company’s day-to-day functions.

For OT, it’s the truck’s weight classification–not the load–that counts

09/16/2013

Employers have long relied on the truck weight classification—not the actual weight the truck is carrying—to determine whether a driver received overtime. That was recently challenged in a class-action lawsuit.

Don’t expect to get away with paying undocumented workers less than law requires

09/16/2013

In a case that shows courts are losing patience with employers that hire undocumented workers and then flout wage-and-hour laws, a federal court has zapped an employer almost $285,000 in unpaid wages and penalties, and another $150,000 to pay the former employees’ legal fees.

White House under new pressure to pay interns

09/11/2013

A grassroots lobbying effort led by the Fair Pay Campaign is pushing employers to pay their interns, starting with the White House.

2nd Circuit: CEO can be personally liable for FLSA violations

09/06/2013

Here’s a bit of news you may want to pass on to company executives when explaining why they must comply with the letter and the spirit of the FLSA. Tell them they aren’t just putting company assets at risk, but also their own.