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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…
The end of any year is always challenging, between juggling employees’ holiday vacation schedules, preparing year-end paperwork, and making adjustments for the upcoming year. However, an end of year assessment is a valuable way to review your company’s accomplishments for the year, celebrate successes, and share business updates and progress with your employees and stakeholders. You also can take stock of how well you met your goals and capabilities, which allows you to set objectives…
National Public Radio (NPR) recently featured the topic of the ‘gender pay gap’ on one of its news programs, and I happened to be listening in. I was reminded of a conversation I had with my sister about pay inequality between men and women. The gender pay gap is confusing to me because the Equal Pay Act of 1963 has been around for more than 50 years. Salary differences between men and women may indeed…
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…
I’m always interested in reading books and articles that address the concept of productivity. After all, learning to balance work and personal responsibilities is a challenge that we all face. A while back, I read a book called “The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy” by Chris Bailey. It prompted to me to look at my own effectiveness and assess what’s working and where I could improve. Here are the…
Prudent business leaders recognize the importance of requiring “fitness for duty” certifications as part of the hiring process, especially where a worker may need to perform lifting, bending, stair climbing and other physical duties. Many organizations also request fitness for duty certifications for a change in work status, and this is legal provided that the requirement is consistent across all workers. When workers (as well as job candidates) are pregnant, however, HR professionals face special challenges….
Per a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, more employees are voluntarily leaving their jobs than at almost any other time this millennium. When an employee quits – especially if the individual was a valued contributor – or the person “ghosts” the firm (stops showing up with no notice), employers can feel confused and betrayed. If the organization has invested resources in the employee, such as training, the loss can be financial, as well….
Periodically, we issue article updates on the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the legislation enacted to promote accuracy, fairness and privacy for consumer information stored and used by consumer reporting agencies. Hiring organizations need to be aware of FCRA regulations, because in some instances they can be held liable if their reporting agency violates them. Right now, we are monitoring several issues that may affect business owners’ rights. Two that could have significant impact follow….
For business owners in industries whose profit – or even viability – relies on filling positions with minimum wage workers, the possibility of a $15 an hour minimum wage is worrisome. Business leaders, or anyone concerned with the impact of a higher minimum wage, should take a look at a recent report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Based on an analysis that examined the impact of a $15 an hour minimum wage, the report…
Buffalo's Cafe Ends Human Resources Headaches;