We know from Friday’s post that 89% of you are federal wage and hour minimum-wage all-stars. To celebrate, and because I love each and every one of you, the least I could do is hook you up with the U.S. Department of Labor’s new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Minimum…
The Employer Handbook Blog
Do most employers pay minimum-wage workers more than $7.25/hour? YES! (And it’s not even close)
Since July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees has been $7.25 per hour. Many states and cities have raised that floor, with some cities, like Seattle, headed to $15/hr. But, federally, despite pressure from many to raise it, we’ve been stuck at a $7.25 minimum wage for over 7…
Is a confidentiality provision in an employee settlement agreement worth the paper it’s printed on?
A reader emailed me yesterday. “Hey Eric, Clients are wondering about value of settlement NDAs after ex-Fox News HWE victims go public despite contracts. Your reaction?” Wait! You mean employees actually violate confidentiality provisions? I know, right? By way of brief background, in late July, New York ran a story by Gabriel…
Yes, your company may get nailed for a hostile work environment created by your customer
Just when you thought it was tough enough to keep your own workforce in line. Mack the Knife (except without the murder). The plaintiff in this case worked as a van driver — no, not that van driver — for a senior center for a little over six years. To say…
Yes, we get it already. Permanent light duty is not an ADA reasonable accommodation.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires an employer to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability, when doing so will permit that employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Examples of reasonable accommodations include reassigning non-essential job functions to other employees, a transfer to another open…
How far can employees go when discussing politics? Not very.
Over the weekend, my HR buddy Heather Kinzie and I exchanged emails about employees discussing politics on social media. Serendipitously, a recent employee firing over an explosive tweet — yeah, I know, shocking — provides with me with some Monday fodder for you. Nancy Dillon at the the New York Daily…
Those non-competes your employees sign probably violate federal labor law. Or do they?
Quit playing with my emotions, Eric. That National Labor Relations Board has gone and done it again! Or has it? In Minteq International, Inc., and Specialty Minerals, Inc. (you can download a copy of the decision here), the Board examined the confidentiality language in a company’s non-competition agreements: Confidential Information refers to…
Sexual harassment — same as it ever was
On Tuesday, the EEOC announced here that it had resolved a sexual harassment lawsuit with a Dunkin Donuts franchise for $150,000. What’s so blog-worthy about that? Well, two reasons: It gives me an excuse to highlight this excellent post from Jon Hyman at the Ohio Employer’s Law Blog. Focusing on recent comments…
A white guy threatened to kill co-workers, got fired, and claimed discrimination. How’d that turn out?
If you were thinking, “Not well,” well, give yourself a gold star and a pat on the back. Then, register here for a free interactive webinar, “How to Navigate Alcoholism and Substance Abuse under the FMLA/ADA,” that I’m presenting with Cigna’s Robyn Marino, Esq. on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET. Did I mention that it’s…
I’m blowing mildly workplace-inappropriate smoke and asking for your vote
Read my lips. I love each and every one of my readers. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Not creepy at all.” But, would you believe that I stayed up all night practicing that until I got it just right? In unrelated news, shares of Phillip Morris are trending up 30%…