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Compensation & Benefits

Don’t let the FLSA’s pay rules snow you under this winter

11/21/2011
Winter isn’t a challenging season just because of the lousy weather. It’s tough on payroll staff, who must ensure that the company’s pay policies jibe with the Fair Labor Standards Act when employees leave early, arrive late or just stay home because of snow. Here are the rules for nonexempts and exempts.

10 tips toward a recognition program that drives performance

11/20/2011
Almost 90% of businesses use rewards and incentives to spur sales, improve retention and employee loyalty, and raise productivity during an era of slim pay raises and uncertain bonuses. If you’re starting or updating a rewards, incentive or recognition program, consider these 10 tips.

What are the rules on setting a late policy?

11/18/2011
Q. We would like to institute a rule subjecting em­­ployees to discipline for clocking in late. Are we permitted to do this even though we round our employees’ time to the nearest quarter-hour?

Update from Sacramento: 4 new California laws will affect HR

11/18/2011
Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed bills enacting several new em­­ployment statutes. Each becomes effective Jan. 1, 2012. Here’s how the new laws affect private employers.

$17 million at stake: Are real estate agents nonexempt?

11/18/2011
The California Labor Commissioner is suing ZipRealty Inc., claiming the company owes unpaid wages to hundreds of real estate agents. The lawsuit is seeking minimum wages in excess of $7.5 million, overtime compensation in the amount of $1.25 million—plus damages and ­penalties of over $9 million.

Don’t want class-action arbitration? Say so

11/18/2011
When claims involve unpaid overtime or misclassification, attorneys representing employees naturally want to handle the case as a class or collective action. Some employers think that if they include an arbitration agreement in their terms and conditions of em­­ploy­­ment, a wage-and-hour claim has to go to arbi­­tra­­tion as an individual claim. That’s not necessarily true.

W-2s: the gift that keeps on giving

11/18/2011

W-2s can give you aggravation, sleepless nights, you name it. Here are the critical due dates, as well as six common W-2 errors and easy tips to avoid them:

Ho-Ho-Ho or Uh Oh?

11/17/2011
You can enjoy the company’s holiday bash even more after you get through these year-end payroll duties:

Which of the following issues requires the most work on your part?

11/15/2011
Handling benefits and mediating workplace disputes top the list of difficult HR duties.

Supreme Court to decide: Is health care reform law constitutional?

11/15/2011
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to the sweeping federal health-care reform law enacted in 2010, deciding the constitutionality of the Obama administration’s signature domestic policy achievement. No matter how the High Court rules, its decision could affect HR and employee benefits for years to come.