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Wages & Hours

San Francisco supervisors say high-Priced employees face layoffs

04/18/2008
Faced with a large budget shortfall, San Francisco supervisors are proposing a way to deal with the $338 million deficit the city expects next year. Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin wants to draft legislation that eliminates some high-paying city positions …

The HR burden of administering garnishments

04/18/2008
Q. We have received garnishment orders for several employees. This could pose an administrative burden on our small HR department. What can we do to reduce this burden? …

To pay or not to pay summer interns

04/18/2008
Q. Our company is considering hiring student interns this summer. Are we required to pay them under California law? …

Handling time-Clock rounding for early, late workers

04/17/2008
Q. We don’t allow our employees to punch the time clock more than seven minutes early or clock out more than seven minutes late. How do we round up or down when calculating how to pay them for clocking in early or out late? — J.N., Connecticut …

Can you set work-time minimums for exempt staff?

04/17/2008

Q. All our department managers are salaried. When they’re hired, they agree in writing to work at least 50 hours per week. If they miss a day or work only 45 hours in a week, can we deduct from their salaries? — B.L., Florida  …

You don’t have to pay for all employee training

04/15/2008

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to compensate employees for any time spent on the job that benefits the employer. There are, however, some exceptions. For example, if employees use their own time to study materials that will qualify them for promotions, that time generally doesn’t have to be paid.

Senate panel votes to stop police from ‘Double dipping’

04/14/2008
Following reports that more than 8,000 state employees are “double dipping”—collecting a pension while returning to work to collect a state salary—some lawmakers have tried to stop the practice. Another 131 state employees are said to be triple dipping …

Charging employees for uniforms

04/08/2008
Q. We would like to require employees to pay for their work uniforms. Can we do this? …

Exempt employees and a reduced workweek

04/08/2008
Q. During our slow season, we would like to require employees to work just four days per week in order save on labor costs. Can we require exempt employees to participate? …

Starbucks settles overtime suit

04/07/2008
Starbucks recently settled a lawsuit brought by assistant store managers who had accused the coffee company of denying them overtime wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Judge Keith Ellison of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas approved the settlement …