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Minimum salary requirements key to analysis of proposed FLSA overtime regs

by Robert P. Tinnin, Jr. Under the newly proposed overtime regulations for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the most significant changes are to the minimum salary threshold that must be met for an employee to qualify as exempt. It’s important to understand what types of compensation are included in determining whether “minimum threshold salary” […]

Romney: Dodd-Frank Act a ‘Boon’ to Big Banks

Retirement plans’ fortunes are tied to the financial markets — and how the federal government regulates them — and there has been no bigger development in that arena than the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act of 2010. The law made news Oct. 3, when presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticized Dodd-Frank’s “too big to fail” provision, […]

Immigration: Government Taking Two-Track Approach to Maligned No-Match Rule

Several months ago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final regulation mandating the steps employers must take to verify an employee’s Social Security number (SSN) when the employer receives a “no-match” letter from the DHS or the Social Security Administration. The rule specified that employers would be required to fire employees–or face government […]

Terminating Employees: New Case Points Out Important Strategy

It’s a familiar scenario: The new employee you hired just isn’t working out. Her performance is poor, and she repeatedly falls short on assignments. You’ve warned her that she isn’t meeting your company’s standards, yet she still fails to improve. You decide to fire her. Before you act, you should know about a recent court […]

Background Checks: $1.1 Million Verdict For Failing To Confirm Applicant’s Identity; 5 Red Flags That Were Ignored

Manor Park nursing home in Texas hired Clifton Orphy as a janitor. The trouble was Orphy was using a different name and a fictitious date of birth and Social Security number. Consequently, Manor Park discovered that the person it hired had five prior felonies on his record only after he had raped an 84-year-old nursing […]

Use Social Media to Help Train New Hires Effectively

Some companies tap into Facebook for this purpose, while others turn to a vendor to create an internal, customized portal with “a Facebook feel,” Vitale explains. Onboarding portals provide new hires with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with management and various departments before their first day and afterwards. This is particularly helpful in decentralized organizations, […]

DOL: New Overtime Rules Expected This Spring

The U.S. Department of Labor will likely propose changes to its overtime regulations this spring, Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez told lawmakers March 18. President Obama last March instructed DOL to simplify its rules and raise its salary threshold defining which workers are exempt from overtime. To be considered exempt from the minimum wage […]

Sexual Harassment: Supreme Court Says Single Crude Remark Didn’t Amount To Harassment; Practical Advice

The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down a new ruling that provides some guidance on when a single remark can amount to sexual harassment. The court also looked at when the timing of a punitive action against a complaining employee does and doesn’t support a retaliation claim. As we’ll explain, the decision suggests that your […]