Tag: HR

Shutdowns, Furloughs and Weather Delays—Wage/Hour Minefields

Business Shutdowns and Furloughs It should be no surprise that many employers have sought creative work arrangements in order to weather bleak times without resorting to morale-killing layoffs. Furloughs, temporary shutdowns, and reduced-hour schedules are common workplace solutions. However, the intricacies of the FLSA make these solutions tricky. The salary basis test is not satisfied […]

Danger Zone—Deductions from Salaried Employees’ Pay

Generally, payment on a salaried basis means that employees receive a predetermined amount of pay that can’t be reduced due to variations in the quality or quantity of their work. Employees must be paid their full salary for any week in which they: bzc cb Perform any work, regardless of the number of hours or […]

Training Programs—What’s Happening in the Real World?

Everyone knows how important training is, but finding the time and budget is another story. So what’s happening in the real world? What are your competitors up to? What are best practices? Help us find out! Please participate in our brief survey and see how what you are doing for training stacks up against what […]

Best Defense Against Leave Fraud? Continuous Performance

Continuous Performance Management Is Your Best Potential Defense Always start dealing with the productivity or performance issue, says Eyres. Let the employee bring up the disability. Eyres, who is managing partner of Eyres Law Group, LLP, offered her tips at a recent BLR-sponsored webinar. Consider the following, she says: Employees should not be genuinely surprised […]

What Changes Are Employers Making to Retirement Benefits?

Yesterday’s Advisor began the results of our 2014 Retirement Benefits Survey. Today, more survey results plus good news—we’re able to offer reader a free webinar on Affordable Care Act strategies. Changes Contemplated Our survey shows that 9.8% plan to add or make changes to their 2015 retirement benefits package, 64.9% of employers have no additions […]

If Bill Cosby is wearing a garish sweater, this must be 1980s TV!

A few weeks ago, I saw a news story about how the last of the baby boomers are turning 50 in 2014. “Wow, that’s old,” I thought, until I realized that I’m 53. Then, as if I needed any further reminders of my elder statesmanship, one of the legal assistants in our office, a 20-something, […]

DOL Gets a Slap or Two, but Litigation Threats Abound

The DOL has gotten a few “slapdowns” from the courts recently, but while that may make employers feel a little better, wage and hour problems are still a major threat. The agencies—and the attorneys—are looking at most employers, and, sooner or later, they’ll look at you. In her recent presentation at the Advanced Employment Issues […]

Misclassification Is ‘Hot’—And Many (Maybe Most) Organizations Are in Violation

Misclassification is “very hot,” says Attorney Dinita James, and the DOL is doing “directed” investigations, that is, visiting places where there hasn’t been a complaint. The agency is also singling out certain industries in its search for companies violating rules governing misclassification of independent contractors. For example, says James, they are looking at electrical contractors. […]

Get Your Learners Moving During Training

Sharon Bowman, president of Bowperson Publishing & Training (www.bowperson.com) and author of Using Brain Science to Make Training Stick, gave trainers good advice yesterday, so we asked her another question: “Why is movement important during training, and how can trainers build movement into training sessions?” Bowman responds by reporting that brain research conducted in the […]

6 Reasons to Conduct an Engagement—Not a Satisfaction—Survey

Yesterday’s Advisor featured consultant Allan Benowitz on why you shouldn’t measure satisfaction. Today, the do’s and don’ts of engagement surveys, plus an introduction to a unique guide just for HR managers in smaller, or even one-person, HR departments. Benowitz, who is the vice president of Growth and Development at The Employee Engagement Group, offered his […]