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Wal-Mart workers step up wage strikes

Wal-Mart workers were set to protest in more than 20 cities on June 4 as efforts by low-wage workers to increase their pay continue. Fast-food and retail workers have been staging occasional strikes in cities across the country for over a year in an effort to boost wages and improve working conditions. The Wal-Mart strikes […]

$78,399,999—Now That’s a Range of Pay!

In the recently released “Equilar 100 CEO Pay Study,” an examination of the compensation of the CEOs of the top 100 public companies in the United States, the difference from the top paid to the bottom of the barrel was $78,399,999. Huh?

New York City law protects unpaid interns

by New York Employment Law Letter A new law that aims to protect unpaid interns in New York City from discrimination and harassment on the job will take effect June 15. The legislation, which was unanimously passed by the city council in March and signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in April, is in response […]

Retaliation Suits: Still #1 on the Stupid Suits Hit Parade

Retaliation claims are now number one of all types of charges against employers, and they remain the stupidest type of charge. Stupid because most retaliation charges can be avoided if managers and supervisors just think before they act. Laws prohibiting retaliation as a form of workplace discrimination have expanded rapidly in the past few years, […]

Where there’s smoke, you’re fired: tackling rising costs of tobacco use

by Holly K. Jones, J.D., If there’s one thing on which smokers and nonsmokers can agree, it’s that smoking is an expensive habit. While tobacco companies and trade groups challenge coupon and discount bans on cigarettes, employers have taken up a different fight against the rising costs of smoking.   For several years, employers have begun […]

Playing the System, Crossing Borders to Refresh Visas—Fraught with Danger

Avoiding Costly Workarounds that Can Lead You Astray Some companies try to cut corners by using contractor agreements to replace local employees, thus doing away with Social Security costs and payroll systems. Yet regulators in places such as Argentina and Brazil require contractors to provide information about their engagements with an overseas company in an […]

Train Workers on the Dangers After the Storm

Emergency preparedness training rightfully includes precautions and procedures to prevent injuries and damages during natural disasters. But what about training on safety procedures during cleanup operations after the storm? Today’s Advisor presents the precautions your cleanup workers need to know. Storm and tornado cleanup work can involve hazards relating to restoring electricity, communications, and water […]

7 Instances Where Exempt Employee Pay Can be Deducted for Absences

While the FLSA allows some very specific pay deductions for exempt employees, such as taxes and wage garnishments, it's typically quite strict about the fact that exempt employee pay shouldn't be reduced for exempt employee absences in most cases. It's important for employers to understand when certain payroll deductions may be perfectly legal, and when […]

Growling Stomachs a Thing of the Past, in Many Workplaces

They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but these days the same can be said about the workplace. According to a recent survey, approximately 60 percent of employees have reported that receiving food or restaurant vouchers makes them feel happy and appreciated.

Basic Rules to Keep New Supervisors and Managers Out of Trouble

Yesterday’s Advisor showed why “no good deed goes unpunished” applies to new supervisors and managers. Today, more tips, and five rules. New supervisors and managers try to do the best job they can, but their good intentions often backfire. Instead, they laid the groundwork for expensive lawsuits. The solution is training, training, and more training, […]