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Q&A

Is there any requirement to offer vacation benefits?

11/01/2007

Q. Must I offer vacation time to my employees? If I do, must I pay terminated employees for their unused vacation time? …

Injured playing on company team

11/01/2007

Q. If an employee is injured at a company-sponsored softball game, where participation is purely voluntary, is the injury compensable under workers’ compensation? …

Minimum wage in North Carolina

11/01/2007

Q. What is the minimum wage for North Carolina employees? Is it different than the federal minimum wage? …

Must small businesses provide COBRA-Like continuation health coverage?

11/01/2007

Q. My company has fewer than 20 employees. Must my group health insurance policy still provide COBRA-like continuation coverage to terminated employees? …

What does ‘Right to work’ mean in North Carolina?

11/01/2007

Q. I always hear North Carolina is a “right to work” state. Does that mean there are limitations on how or why I may be fired? Does that have anything to do with “employment at will”? …

Hiring for the nonsmoking workplace

11/01/2007

Q. May I refuse to hire a smoker? …

What to do after salaried employee maxes out leave

11/01/2007

Q. I have a salaried employee who used all his vacation and sick time. He is allowed a total of 21 days and has used 22, but he wants to take more vacation in November and is always sick (so he’ll probably be out more). Can I deduct his pay if he’s out more? Or can I take days from next year? This may be an ongoing thing every year …

Foul play: Can employee sue over offensive odor comments?

11/01/2007

Q. An employee of ours has a very distinct, offensive odor. I received several complaints about the smell, so I confronted the employee, hoping to rectify the situation. Unfortunately, he did not respond well and threatened to sue. Does he have a case? …

Workers’ comp for injury at social event?

11/01/2007

Q. Is an employee who injures herself at a company-sponsored picnic eligible for workers’ compensation? …

How do oral promises affect an ‘Employment contract’?

11/01/2007

Q. Do oral promises my employer made during my job interview or during my employment constitute part of my contract of employment? …