Most Popular

ACA and the full-time workweek: a change on the horizon?

by Marianne Clendenen Among the many changes to employment policy and practice wrought by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), perhaps none is currently as hotly contested as the definition of “full-time employee” and the correlating “workweek.” Congress is considering amending the ACA to change what’s considered a “workweek” from 30 hours to 40 hours per […]

Overtime and Wage Lawsuits: Potential Liability for Most Employers

Many employers are shocked when they see how quickly a single complaint by an employee for unpaid overtime can turn into a collective-action lawsuit under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state labor laws. Unlike discrimination claims filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, there is no requirement that […]

These Five Trends Will Rock Your Workplace in 2023: How to Prepare Now

After the past few years focusing on surviving the pandemic shift to remote work and navigating the fallout of the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements, followed by juggling crises in employee morale, “the Great Resignation,” and the “Quiet Quitting” phenomena, it’s unnerving to think about the next great crisis corporate leaders will need to navigate in […]

New Mandatory Electronic VCP Submissions Add to IRS Online Filings

In 2008, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) established a voluntary program aimed at retirement plan sponsors and administrators to encourage correction and resolution of plan document or operational failures as soon as they are discovered. The Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System, or “EPCRS” as it is most often called, stresses the importance of established administrative […]

My Work Rule Is Legal Today, But What About Tomorrow?

Whenever the White House switches from one party to the other, there are risks because new appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) mean changes will occur in how it interprets and enforces the National Labor Relations Act (Act). Based on a recently issued notice and invitation to file briefs, all signs indicate we’ll […]

comic

How a Comic Book Character Can Promote Women in STEM

Diversity and inclusion were once considered “fluffy” company goals that were pursued by bleeding hearts or, more cynically, the PR-minded, but that view has steadily changed over the last few decades.

Case Study: Can Joy at Employee Firing Be Evidence of FMLA Violation?

Here’s a tale from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Texas employers), which told a Texas trial court that it erred in dismissing a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) retaliation lawsuit against the city of Granbury. In deconstructing the appeals court’s opinion, we see how judges—like each and […]

firing

Tips for Firing Gracefully

Firing someone is never a pleasant task, but it’s something that occasionally must be done. Let’s take a look at a few tips for doing it gracefully, legally, and safely.

How Businesses Can Help Solve the Childcare Crisis While Boosting Their Profitability

Businesses across the country are becoming acutely aware of the childcare challenges to their business, especially as potential impacts of the “childcare cliff” seem looming. Luckily there are a host of research-backed childcare supports, some even no to low-cost, that businesses of all sizes are implementing. These benefits have also emerged as an opportunity for […]

The Importance of Clearly Defining Employee Classifications

Defining employee classifications is one of the most critical compliance tasks for employers. Misclassification can lead to costly legal and financial repercussions. But what exactly do we mean by employee classifications? What Are Employee Classifications? Employee classifications help determine a worker’s rights, benefits, and pay structure under labor laws. Two key distinctions are: Exempt vs. […]