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Compensation & Benefits

Miami-Dade enacts first county ‘wage theft’ law

04/26/2010
Miami-Dade County last month became the first county in the nation to pass a “wage theft” law—and it likely won’t be the last. The ordinance says a wage-theft violation occurs when an employer fails to pay any portion of wages due to an employee. It allows the county to step in to help workers win back pay.

‘Dream grants’ keep employees adventurous

04/26/2010

The HR pros at Columbia, Md.-based database marketing company Merkle have a recruiting slogan: “It’s not rocket science: Treat your employees well and they’ll return the favor.” To that end, the 1,100-employee firm offers “dream grants” to employees, which pay for individuals or groups of colleagues to take an adventure.

New amendments extend COBRA 65% subsidy to May 31

04/23/2010
Effective April 15, 2010, the 65% COBRA premium subsidy program that originally took effect in early 2009 will remain available until May 31, 2010. The new date became official on April 15 when President Obama signed the Continuing Extension Act of 2010, which stretched eligibility for the subsidy and extended several other federal benefits designed to help unemployed workers.

Is paid family leave in New Jersey on last legs?

04/23/2010
A bill before the Legislature proposes to abolish the state’s paid family leave and deposit funds now kept in the state’s Family Temporary Disability Leave Account into the unemployment compensation insurance fund.

Once is not enough! Promote perks year-round

04/23/2010

For too many employers, benefits communication consists of handing an annual statement to workers and saying, “See you next year.” However, a new survey says U.S. workers’ biggest complaint about their employee benefits isn’t cost or access—it’s that employees don’t really understand the benefits they already have. Here are inexpensive ways HR can educate employees year-round:

65% COBRA subsidy extended through May 31

04/20/2010

On April 15, President Obama signed into law amendments that extend eligibility for the 65% COBRA subsidy through May 31. The amendments buy time for Congress to consider additional legislation that could keep the subsidy alive until the end of the year.

Even coffee-making may be compensable time

04/19/2010
The little things employees end up doing while getting ready for work can add up to a big overtime bill later. That’s because courts often see such preparatory work, even if it benefits the employee, too, as work that must be compensated. Consider this recent case involving making the morning coffee and breakfast before the start of a shift.

More leave after FMLA leave?

04/19/2010
Q. One of our employees recently completed 12 weeks of FMLA leave to care for an ill family member. She has now requested a 30-day leave to undergo chemical dependency treatment for alcohol abuse. Since she has already utilized all of her available FMLA leave, are we required to grant this most recent leave request?

Can we make employee pay cost of lost BlackBerry through payroll deductions?

04/19/2010
Q. One of our employees recently took a company-issued BlackBerry with him on a business trip. The employee lost the BlackBerry while out on the town, and the company would like to have him pay for a replacement. Can we deduct the cost of a replacement BlackBerry from his paycheck?

Must we offer severance pay?

04/19/2010
Q. Because of a downturn in our business, we are thinking of eliminating a position. Are we required to offer severance pay to the terminated employee?