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A challenging job market, new workplace demands driven by emerging technology, and concerns over job longevity and security are all contributing to stress among workers these days. Add to that an environment in which many employees are grappling with low wages and increasing work demands, and it’s no wonder that companies of all kinds are […]
Question: Would it be noncompliant to require employees to work both the day before and the day after a holiday to receive holiday pay? Also, would it break any pay laws not to provide holiday pay to an employee who calls out sick before a holiday? Answer: Although holiday pay is a common benefit employers provide, […]
In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at HR Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber regarding a requested disability workplace accommodation where the validity is in question. What abilities, obligations, and limitations does an employer have to verify an employee’s medical accommodation […]
American attitudes toward smoking have changed dramatically in the past several decades. A habit that was once commonplace in restaurants, workplaces, and even airplanes has been banned from most homes, offices, and even bars. Part of that changed attitude is driven by nonsmokers who understandably prefer to avoid second-hand smoke. Another element of the change […]
The Colorado Supreme Court has cleared up a longstanding unresolved question about when employers need to pay out accrued but unused vacation time. The June 14 decision also appears to invalidate use-it-or-lose-it vacation policies in the state.
The past several years have seen employers of all kinds dabbling in nontraditional types of paid leave. One of the more notable offerings has been unlimited vacation time, but research has found that such leave is actually counterproductive—peer pressure prevents most employees from actually taking advantage of it.
While many Americans are preparing for summer vacations, many are likely not. According to a new survey from Glassdoor, the average U.S. employee (of those who receive vacation/paid time off) has only taken about half (54%) of his or her eligible vacation time/paid time off in the past 12 months. This is relatively consistent with […]
Employee burnout is becoming all too common these days. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, three in five workers (61%) say they are burned out in their current job, and 31% report high or extremely high levels of stress at work, yet a third of all workers (33%) have not taken or do not plan […]
Do you ever find it interesting that some of the most tangled topics of HR administration primarily concern the hours when your employees aren’t at work? When employees are in the workplace, we have a pretty good idea of what they should and shouldn’t be doing and how to reasonably regulate their work-related behavior. But […]
Question: Under what circumstances is an employer allowed to require a salaried exempt employee to utilize his/her vacation leave bank for full days away from the office for personal reasons other than medical? Also, is an employer allowed to withhold payment or “dock” a salary-exempt employee for full days out of the office for personal […]