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Q&A

What leave must we provide for em­­ployees who are victims of domestic violence?

03/23/2015
Q. An employee notified me that she was a victim of domestic violence and needs to take some time off work. What leave am I required to allow her?

May our employees pool their tips?

03/11/2015
Q. The waitstaff in our restaurant pools tips with the dishwashers and hosts. Is this OK?

Do we have to pay overtime for hours an employee spent out on sick leave?

03/11/2015
Q. Last week, an employee was out sick on Monday but worked 40 hours Tuesday through Friday. She would like to use her sick leave for Monday and claim overtime for those Monday hours. Must I pay her overtime for those hours?

Do we need to accommodate smokers?

03/11/2015
Q. We currently have a designated smoking area outside our building. Recently, an employee who is extremely sensitive to certain odors complained that smoke was drifting through our ventilation system into her work space. May we prohibit smoking in certain areas outside our building? If so, do we need to provide another location for our employees to smoke?

What’s the law on how often to pay?

03/10/2015
Q. As a new small business owner, I am unsure of the laws governing wage payment. Are there rules concerning how often I must pay my employees?

Are employees allowed to picket my business?

03/10/2015
Q. A supervisor recently told me that some of my employees are planning to picket outside one of my businesses. Apparently, the picketers plan to block the building’s two exits with their vehicles in addition to picketing. Is this lawful?

Can I refuse to hire union members?

03/10/2015
Q. I am considering hiring an applicant to work at my steel refinery. The only problem is that he is affiliated with a local trade union, and I am doing everything I can to keep my business union-free. Can I refuse to hire him for this reason?

Is it double-dipping to receive both workers’ comp and Social Security benefits?

03/03/2015
Q. Can an injured worker obtain both workers’ compensation benefits and Social Security disability benefits at the same time?

Can missed quotas add up to docked pay?

03/03/2015
Q. Can an employee’s pay be docked for failing to meet a production quota?

What is the most effective way of keeping a former employee from giving away trade secrets?

03/03/2015
Q. As an employer, what can I do to avoid unauthorized disclosure of sensitive company information when an employee departs?