Sara Lanns 
IRS Notice 2020-65 allowed employers to defer withholding and payment of the employee’s Social Security taxes. This deferral applied to those with less than $4,000 in wages every two weeks, or an equivalent amount for other pay periods. It was optional for most employers, although mandatory for federal employees and military service members. It’s time … Read more
In the past, as long as you provided health insurance and retirement benefits, your benefits were considered competitive. Now, the pressure is on employers to supply more diverse options. Employee-friendly startups keep getting more creative with their benefits packages. Further, the federal government, states and localities are mandating more employee benefits than ever. Consequently, it’s … Read more
As you create your company’s hiring plan for a post-pandemic world, you need to adapt to a new reality. To begin with, you will need to consider these trends: Talent shortage. There is an ongoing talent shortage in many industries, making the hiring landscape more competitive than ever before. Businesses need to assess what new … Read more
1. Federal wage and hour laws The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets federal wage and hour standards, which are administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. These standards cover: Federal minimum wage. Overtime pay and exemptions. Work hours, including meals and rest breaks. Child labor, including permissible occupations and work hours. Recordkeeping for nonexempt … Read more
How long do you have to keep records? There’s no one answer. However, we’ve summarized some of the most common federal laws relevant to employment record keeping. Note that applicability may vary by employer size Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Resumes. Job applications. Job advertisements and postings. Interview notes. Preemployment screening … Read more
There are many ways to run afoul of overtime laws. Below are some of the most common — review them to ensure that you’re always in compliance. Misclassifying exempt and nonexempt employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, exempt employees do not have to be paid overtime when they work more than 40 hours in … Read more
Can an employer require its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19? It’s a simple question, but one that does not have an easy answer. In brief, companies can make vaccinations an employment requirement, but there are subtleties involved, and a disability can create an exception. The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission has provided some guidance in a … Read more
On Sept. 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a final rule increasing the salary threshold for executive, administrative and professional employees from $455 per week to $684 per week. These “white-collar” employees are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime pay provisions. The final rule took effect Jan. 1, 2020. What the … Read more
When employees quit or miss work for some reason, when layoffs become necessary, or even when it’s just a matter of busy season, cross-trained employees can step in to minimize disruption. Simply put, cross-training is about showing employees how to do each other’s jobs. Cross-Training Has No Industry Limits Even if you have only a … Read more
At times, you may want to suddenly change an hourly employee’s work schedule to better suit your business needs. However, several jurisdictions have enacted predictive scheduling laws to prevent certain employers from changing hourly employees’ schedules without giving advance notice. On Nov. 25, 2014, San Francisco passed the first predictive scheduling law, called ‘The Formula … Read more
