Author: Chris Ceplenski

Permissible deductions from pay for exempt employees

Are deductions from pay ever allowed for exempt employees? Naturally an employer can make deductions for taxes or employee contributions to retirement or insurance premiums, but what about deductions for days of work missed? What about deductions for time an employee is out due to disciplinary action?

Section 503 Hiring Goal for Contractors Effective in March

The U.S. Department of Labor will finalize new Section 503 regulations Sept. 24, according to the Office of the Federal Register. The rules create several new responsibilities for federal contractors and subcontractors, including a mandate that they aim to have workers with disabilities make up 7 percent of their workforces. If the rules are published […]

5 Reasons to Embrace Pay-For-Performance

Pay-for-performance is fast becoming the new normal. We are seeing it in use by more and more companies to get the most out of the reduced compensation budgets we’ve had in recent years. “Everything in our daily lives is more performance-based than it ever has been in the past. In many professions, performance pay has […]

Pension Plan Fiduciaries Should Know Basics of ‘Responsible’ Investing

Working with investment managers on optimal asset mixes and maximizing returns long has been important for employer retirement plan sponsors and committees. But in recent years it also has become advisable for those overseeing fund managers to understand responsible investing principles — at the same time they have become more important for many plan participants. […]

Is Giving Shoes Away a Great Business Strategy?

Giving feels good on its own, says TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie, but it’s also a great business strategy. TOMS’ one-for-one philosophy (the company gives away a pair of shoes for every pair it sells) has led it to success, he says. Giving feels good on its own, says TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie, but […]

Questions and answers on CFRA, FMLA leave in California

It’s crucial for California employers to get the information needed to properly designate absences so that FMLA/CFRA leave can be administered legally. But proper administration isn't always black and white. For example, if an employee's doctor advises that he or she is under the care of specialists, can an employer require that the specialist complete the FMLA certification?

Expert answers on employee leaves of absence in California

At the end of a recent CER webinar on FMLA/CFRA certifications, Allen Kato fielded several questions from employers related to leaves of absence in California. Topics included requiring notice for intermittent leave, timing of receipt of certification, and employee requirements when calling out of work

Is Giving Shoes Away a Great Business Strategy?

Giving feels good on its own, says TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie, but it’s also a great business strategy. TOMS’ one-for-one philosophy (the company gives away a pair of shoes for every pair it sells) has led it to success, he says. Mycoskie announced at the recent SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago that […]

Does Training Millennials Differ from Training Employees of Other Generations?

“There is a cultural aspect of the times you’ve grown up in,” says Beth N. Carvin, CEO and president of Nobscot Corporation (www.nobscot.com). With Millennials, “it’s just become much faster paced. Whether it’s because of video games or the Internet, everything moves faster. “From a training perspective, we have to be aware that we need […]