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Compensation & Benefits

State unemployment tax rates increase this year

02/12/2010

Texas joins a number of other states that have had to increase unemployment tax rates in 2010. The recession has steadily drained the state’s Unemployment Compensation Fund.

Try 2 bonus tactics suited for tough times

02/12/2010

After two years of painful payroll reductions, there’s enough light at the end of the recessionary tunnel for some employers to begin considering pay raises. But in a volatile economy, implementing performance incentives and bonus plans is easier said than done. Experts say two tactics can help HR pros create variable pay plans that strike a balance between risk, reward and fiscal stability.

Your 10-step plan for sniffing out suspicious FMLA requests

02/12/2010

Interested in combating potential FMLA fraud? The best way to keep employees from gaming FMLA leave is to use the law’s medical certification process. To make sure employees take only FMLA leave to which they are entitled, follow these 10 steps:

Can I fire an employee who will miss work because he has been subpoenaed?

02/12/2010

Q. Do I have to allow an employee off work because he has been subpoenaed to testify in a friend’s divorce case? I would like to replace him if he misses work for more than a day or two.

Isn’t this illegal? I was just ordered to garnish one of my employee’s wages

02/12/2010

Q. We recently received a court order to garnish the wages of an employee who has failed to repay a student loan. I thought that the garnishment of an employee’s wages in Texas was prohibited by law. Is that no longer true?

Check CBA for pay rules on safety gear prep

02/12/2010

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine many advantages of being a union workplace, but here’s a bit of good news: At least in some limited circumstances, working under a collective-bargaining agreement gives employers some protection against FLSA lawsuits that demand payment for time spent putting on and taking off protective gear at the beginning and end of the workday.

Texas employees file FLSA suit against T.J. Maxx

02/12/2010

Employees of T.J. Maxx stores in Texas have filed a class-action suit alleging that the retailer stiffed workers out of regular wages and overtime pay. The lawsuit claims management required workers who exceeded their scheduled hours to work off the clock and told them to use vacation and sick time to cover time worked beyond their scheduled hours.

Don’t cry! Babies at work easier than you think

02/10/2010

Even as the economy forces some organizations to cut benefits, it’s prompting others to add one: allowing parents to bring their babies to work. In just two years, the number of organizations with a babies-at-work benefit has more than doubled to 130, says Carla Moquin, founder and president of the Parenting in the Workplace Institute. She advises managers to start small and to create a formal policy full of “safety valves.” Here are 10 keys to success:

10 warning signs of low morale … and 8 ways to boost it

02/09/2010

With workplace budgets still tight, recession-weary employees need a morale booster now more than ever. It’s time to use a little creativity to reward workers—without breaking the bank.

Employee who misses work for medical reasons may be eligible for unemployment benefits

02/09/2010

If you discharge an employee after she exhausts time off available through the FMLA, sick leave and other benefits, she may still be eligible for unemployment compensation. That’s true even if her absenteeism violated a company attendance policy.