After years of debate, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule on September 24 that increased the salary threshold for an “exempt” employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to $684 a week ($35,568 annually) from $455 a week effective January 1, 2020. As a reminder, unless exempt, employees covered by the FLSA must receive at least time and one-half their regular pay rate for all hours worked over 40 in a…
By the end of each year, I’m usually approached with questions from clients who have received their W-2 form and are concerned about owing taxes when it comes time to square up with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It’s good practice to make sure that your backup withholding is up to date so that you avoid unwanted surprises. If you’re an employer, it’s helpful to be aware of the hardship that employees could experience if…
With many Americans looking forward to a long weekend and a day off from work on Monday, we thought that it would be fun to take a look at the history and origination of our beloved “end of summer” holiday: Labor Day. This day was created to celebrate the American worker and the trade and labor groups that support them. Observance of the Labor Day holiday evolved over a period of years as attention was…
Why Don’t We Labor on Labor Day? Our news usually deals with business topics, but with Labor Day coming up this weekend, we thought it would be interesting to look at the history and origination of our beloved “end of summer” holiday: Labor Day. This day might better be called “Workers’ Day,” because that is who it celebrates—the American worker and the trade and labor groups that support them. Encouraged by the labor movement, Labor…
We hear a lot about the dangers of drunk driving, but did you know it is only the Number 3 cause of accidents? The Number 1 cause, by far, is distracted driving. Per a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80 percent of automobile accidents and 65 percent of near-accidents involve some form of driver distraction within three seconds of the incident. Although talking or…
In January, the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) rolled out new guidelines that make it easier for companies to use unpaid interns, but some labor experts are warning the guidance is not a panacea. The update, published in a DoL guidance document on its website, sets a more flexible standard for employers than previous guidance. Now, interns must be the “primary beneficiaries” of the program—in other words, the programs must benefit the intern more than the…
Our news usually deals with business topics, but today, we thought it would be interesting to look at the history and origination of our beloved “end of summer” holiday: Labor Day. This day might better be called “Workers’ Day,” because that is who it celebrates—the American worker and the trade and labor groups that support them. Encouraged by the labor movement, Labor Day’s first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed in 1885 and 1886,…
Earlier this month, the governor of Missouri announced he was lowering the state’s minimum wage from $10 back to $7.70. The reason? He had heard from numerous small-business owners who said they couldn’t afford to pay the wage and stay in business. Although California and other states have committed to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour, small and midsized business (SMB) owners with limited resources appear to be struggling to meet higher wage requirements….
Last month, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases in several Midwest states, issued a judicial ruling that sexual orientation claims are actionable under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The ruling came in response to a suit in Indiana, Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. It adds support to a July 2016 administrative opinion, issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in relation to a separate suit….
We hear a lot about the dangers of drunk driving, but did you know it is only the Number 3 cause of accidents? The Number 1 cause, by far, is distracted driving. Per a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80 percent of automobile accidents and 65 percent of near-accidents involve some form of driver distraction within three seconds of the incident. Although talking or…
Buffalo's Cafe Ends Human Resources Headaches;