Question: If we require employees to arrive ten minutes early to prepare for work, do we have to pay them for this extra time? Answer: Yes. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (and likely state law as well), you must pay employees for all hours...
Question: We have employees that are unable to work due to a natural disaster. Some haven’t contacted us at all and we’re wondering if we should follow our three-day no-show termination policy. We’re also wondering about pay– should we use their sick or vacation time...
With the fall college semester approaching, the Internal Revenue Service reminded employers and employees that under federal law, employers who have educational assistance programs can use them to help pay student loans for their employees. As part of a wider effort to promote this benefit the...
The first day at a new job sets the tone for an employee's experience, and growing companies understand the significance of providing a structured onboarding process. Surprisingly, 80% of these companies have a first day checklist, while only 66% of flat or declining businesses have...
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires all employers to provide reasonable lactation break time and a private place (not a bathroom) for employees to express breast milk during work hours for one year after their child’s birth. The time doesn’t have to be paid...
Question: We have an hourly employee who will be working at two different locations and under two titles, 25 hours at one location and 25 hours at the other. Will he need to be paid overtime? Answer: Yes. Titles, job duties, and locations are irrelevant—focus only on...
The federal Department of Labor (DOL) has finally announced the release of its proposed rule to increase minimum salaries required for certain employees to be classified as exempt from minimum wage and overtime. While we don’t usually report on proposed rules because they have a tendency...
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) largely winds down at the end of 2025. Maybe. Many of its provisions are political, so much depends on who's in the White House and who has control of the House and Senate at that time. Before you start...
Whenever an employee files a complaint with the HR department, the issue at hand should be taken seriously. Failure to properly address the matter, whether intentional or not, can result in the employee feeling demoralized. Employees who do not feel heard may turn to the...
When someone tells me they are starting a new job and asks what type of benefits they should enroll in, I always tell them “disability insurance.” When a church or ministry asks me what benefits they should offer their employees, I always tell them “disability.”...