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I need some help with the administrative exemption as it relates to IT workers. We are a software consulting firm. Each consultant works pretty independently, managing and doing work on their own projects directly with clients. Their work is a mix of upper-level tasks (systems analysis, training, project management) and lower-level tasks (installing upgrades and […]
Legislation is pending in Washington that would treat certain employees who perform inside sales work the same as outside salespeople when it comes to overtime pay. Inside sales personnel are currently entitled to overtime after 40 hours of work in a week. However, a bill making its way through the House of Representatives would exempt […]
In the age of iPhones, BlackBerries, and similar devices, text messaging is becoming as ubiquitous in the workplace as it is everywhere else. But as an employer, are you at risk of dropping the ball on essential recordkeeping because vital communications are transmitted on phones — often personal phones that don’t belong to the company?
A federal jury in San Jose has sided with Sunnyvale chip maker Advanced Micro Devices on allegations that executive Walid Maghribi was forced to quit shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, after AMD chairman Jerry Sanders learned Maghribi was a Lebanese Muslim. Maghribi charged the company made his job intolerable because of […]
An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa is causing concern in the United States, as the medical community and various organizations watch to see if the outbreak will be contained, or will spread globally. Although this situation is occurring thousands of miles away, it is a good reminder for businesses in the United […]
A recent verdict provides a good reminder ofwhy it’s important to listen to and follow up on employee complaints. A juryawarded maintenance technician Bob Haist $500,000 on his clam that his managerat Chula Vista–based Goodrich Aerostructures slandered him by accusing him infront of his co-workers of stealing from the company. Haist’s co-workers alsoallegedly watched managers […]
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released new guidance addressing how changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) affect the employment of veterans with disabilities. One of the guides is aimed at employers, and the other is for veterans. Both are available at www.eeoc.gov. The guides reflect changes brought about by the ADA […]
Eye on the Election Here’s the first in our series of “Eye on the Election” posts which are focused on helping employers prepare for post-election changes, no matter who is elected. For today’s topic of likely labor law and NLRB actions after the election we turned to Patricia M. Trainor, J.D., SPHR, BLR’s Senior Managing […]
What a difference a couple of years makes. Not so long ago, a flurry of states passed legislation or ballot initiatives to increase their minimum wage rates. As recently as 2009, there were minimum wage increases in 24 states. Since then, it appears that changes in the political climate and in the economy have completely […]