Opinion letter discusses scenarios when time is paid Knowing when you have to pay nonexempt workers for travel time can be confusing. The Department of Labor (DOL) has shed some light on that issue in a recent opinion letter. The letter asks whether nonexempt construction foremen and laborers have to be paid for the time [...]
New federal stimulus legislation was approved on December 27. The legislation includes another round of funding for PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans for small business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.Banks are awaiting detailed guidelines from the Small Business Administration, which administers these loans. Here is a summary of what we know. Please bear in mind that this [...]
Can we screen employees returning to work for COVID-19?Yes. Generally, inquiries about an employee’s health or a medical exam (like a temperature check) would not be allowed, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has stated that screening employees for symptoms of COVID-19 is allowed since it is a direct threat to others in the [...]
As COVID-19 infection rates continue to climb, it’s imperative that organizations respond quickly when an employee is diagnosed. Here are the steps employers should take: Notify Employees Employees should be notified of potential exposure in the workplace, but they should not be told who is sick. Employees won’t like that they can’t gauge their own risk, [...]
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, identity theft and fraud have increased dramatically. Massachusetts in particular has experienced a high incidence of fraudulent unemployment claims (people filing for unemployment benefits under a stolen identity). Employers and employees must be vigilant to make sure that their businesses and personal credit have not been harmed by data breaches. For [...]
Massachusetts TIR 20-5 offers key tax guidance on employees who are working from home during the COVID-19 emergency. Any nonresidents who usually work in Massachusetts but are teleworking from a different location are still subject to Massachusetts income taxes. Employers must also continue to make contributions to the state’s paid family and medical leave program [...]
Exempt employee missed work: Is he now eligible for OT? Q. This year, we hired an exempt employee and offered him a salary of $36,000. However, he took a week off from work without pay, which will lower his annual salary to below the new threshold required for exemption by the Department of Labor. Does [...]
The Department of Labor (DOL) has created a new online tool to help your workers see if they’re eligible for leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Employer-specific features are coming soon, according to the DOL. For more info: dol.gov/agencies/whd/ffcra/benefits-eligibility-webtool
ZoomX Inc., a delivery service contractor in Katy TX, failed to provide paid sick leave to an employee whose healthcare provider advised the employee to self-quarantine for two weeks due to the coronavirus. For this violation of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act provision of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, ZoomX was penalized $1700 [...]
Employers who furloughed workers during the coronavirus pandemic may be close to rehiring them as many businesses start opening again. Are you aware of the guidelines you must follow during the rehiring process? Test yourself by answering True or False to the following: If a furlough lasts six months or more, employers are required to [...]
