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It Pays to Be Penny-Wise When Paying Final Paychecks Posted on: March 29, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
A Georgia man made national news recently when his former employer paid his final paycheck with a wheelbarrow full of oil-soaked pennies. While most employers stick to more conventional methods of payment, such as checks or direct deposit, even the most careful employer can get tripped up when an employment relationship ends. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act does not require employers to pay final paychecks immediately. Therefore, the laws vary considerably across the country.
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Tags:
payroll, final paycheck, flsa, wages
Recommendations for Navigating Personnel File & Payroll Record Requests Posted on: March 15, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Plaintiffs’ attorneys often request an employee’s personnel file and payroll records to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their client’s case prior to filing a formal complaint. Often, they review the records to find additional violations, such as wage and hour violations. The California Labor Code provides employees the opportunity to request both their personnel file and their pay records. Failure to provide the requested documents timely can expose the employer to a penalty.
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Tags:
california, records requests, human resources, personnel files, payroll, labor law
Paid Family Leave Is Coming to Colorado - It May Not Be Long Before It Comes to Your State Posted on: March 09, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
On November 3, 2020, Colorado passed the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act. The Act will bring about a series of changes that will roll out year to year. The first occurs on January 1, 2023, when each employer must remit a payroll tax to the fund to provide for the benefits. Benefits will become available to employees beginning January 1, 2024. The Act provides Colorado employees with some coverage not seen in the similar federal program known as the Family Medical Leave Act.
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colorado, paid leave, family leave, medical leave, fmla, payroll
3 Things Employers Need to Know About Employee Classification: A Refresher Course Posted on: January 11, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Congratulations! You and your business survived a global pandemic and one of the most challenging economic downturns in recent memory. The last year took a devastating toll on employees and business alike, and you may be looking to reconsider employee compensation and avoid litigation. As you look forward to bouncing back in 2021, here are three reminders for properly classifying employees.
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Tags:
employee classification, minimum salary, duties test, payroll, human resources
Cooks and Dishwashers Can Share in Servers’ Tips Under DOL Final Rule Posted on: December 29, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
On December 22, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued final rules for pooling tips among employees of hospitality businesses, an industry severely impacted by COVID-19. Where an employer provides the standard minimum wage, the final rule established by the DOL allows the employer to establish a tip pool that includes cooks, dishwashers, and other back-of-the-house employees who ordinarily are not permitted to share tips under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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dol, tips, minimum wage, hospitality, flsa, wage and hour, payroll
What Pennsylvania Employers Should Know About the New Overtime Regulations Posted on: December 07, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
For the first time in more than four decades, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry has modified the Commonwealth’s overtime regulations. These amendments, which became effective on October 3, 2020, raise the minimum salary threshold for overtime exemption. They also modify the definitions of executive, administrative, and professional employees to make them more consistent with the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employers should review these changes and adjust their overtime policies as necessary.
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pennsylvania, overtime, wage and hour, flsa, payroll
California Minimum Wage to Increase in 2021 Posted on: November 25, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
Employers in The Golden State should be aware of the new legal requirements that will impact their businesses starting next year. Big changes await businesses with California employees in 2021. On January 1, 2021, the minimum wage in California will increase. The wage increase will be dependent upon the number of persons employed by the employer.
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california, minimum wage, payroll, employment law
Hands Off My Wages! Five Steps Employers Can Take to Comply With the Notice Requirements of California’s Wage Theft Protection Act Posted on: November 09, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
California’s Wage Theft Prevention Act requires employers to provide most employees with written notice of their compensation and certain rights under the Labor Code. Here are five steps employers can take to ensure compliance with the notice requirements.
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Tags:
california, wage theft protection act, payroll, human resources, labor law
To Avoid FLSA Liability, Employers Should Use Actual Time Worked Posted on: October 29, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
Recent cases illustrate the exposure to liability under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that employers can avoid by using actual time worked by employees to calculate overtime, instead of using techniques designed to approximate how much to pay employees based on estimated hours worked. These cases show that the benefits of short cuts may be outweighed by the exposure to liability, costs, and distractions of litigation created by lawsuits challenging such techniques to estimate time worked.
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Tags:
flsa, payroll, overtime, time keeping, 4th circuit
Fictitious Business Names on Wage Statements: An Invitation for Penalties in California Posted on: June 30, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
Complying with California law on wage statements can be tricky for employers. Pursuant to Labor Code Section 226(a)(8), wage statements must identify the employer’s legal name. An employer can comply with this requirement by listing either the legal entity name or a registered fictitious business name (dba) on the wage statement. Failing to do so can expose employers to extensive liability on a class-wide basis through a class action or Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) representative action.
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Tags:
california, fictitious business name, paga, payroll, wages
Work-From-Home: Five Tips to Avoid Overtime Liability Posted on: May 11, 2020 In: Labor & Employment
By now, the coronavirus pandemic has caused considerable disruption to most employers. In light of various restrictions imposed under various stay-at-home orders, many employers have been forced to adopt Work-From-Home (WFH) policies on the fly, without the benefit of preparation or advice from legal counsel regarding potential liabilities that these policies can involve.
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Tags:
work-from-home, overtime, payroll, covid-19, coronavirus
5 Tips to Avoid Wage & Hour Liability in California Posted on: June 26, 2019 In: Labor & Employment
Wage and hour litigation is an area of law that is incredibly nuanced, but incredibly important. Every California employer is faced with the daunting task of avoiding liability for wage and hour law violations. Fortunately, employers can greatly reduce the risk of exposure by following these five simple tips.
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Tags:
california, payroll, wages, compliance, overtime

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