Uncategorized

Do employees need to be paid for time spent putting on and taking off safety gear?

Protective gear and time worked: What federal appeals court said Do employees need to be paid for time spent putting on and taking off their safety gear? That common Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) question has popped up again in the courts, this time in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In Tyger v. Precision [...]

November 24th, 2023|Uncategorized|

Avoiding scammers posing as the IRS

IRS Tax Tip 2023-99, Aug. 8, 2023 Crooks are always looking for new ways to scam unsuspecting taxpayers. Scammers impersonate the IRS by phone or email, in person, or by mail or delivery service – and cost people their time and money. By staying vigilant against schemes and scams, taxpayers can protect themselves. Scammers can [...]

November 17th, 2023|Uncategorized|

How specific is your policy on floating holidays?

Floating holidays are implemented in different ways by different business. Some businesses require that they coincide with official federal or state holidays. Some determine which days are floating holidays for everyone, which might vary from year to year. Other businesses let employees chose their own floating holidays, which can even be mental health days. Considerations [...]

November 10th, 2023|Uncategorized|

Mass. company penalized for H-2B & FLSA violations

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $771,022 in back wages and $61,215 in liquidated damages for 47 workers of a Haverhill landscaping company after the employer failed to comply with requirements of the federal H-2B worker program and the Fair Labor Standards Act. The H-2B Worker Program permits businesses to employ temporary visa workers [...]

November 3rd, 2023|Uncategorized|

Do you need a new Employer Identification Number (EIN)?

Generally, businesses need a new EIN when their ownership or structure has changed. Although changing the name of your business does not require you to obtain a new EIN, you may wish to visit the Business Name Change page to find out what actions are required if you change the name of your business. The [...]

October 27th, 2023|Uncategorized|

New to HR? Here are the basics

Are you new to HR? Feeling overwhelmed by the vast and constantly changing landscape of employment law? Worried about the risks to your organization? Don’t panic. You’re in the same boat as many others. You don’t need to know everything on your first day or even your first year. HR professionals with decades of experience [...]

October 20th, 2023|Uncategorized|

Calculating holidays & intermittent FMLA leave

The Dept. of Labor (DOL) recently clarified how to calculate time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) during a week that includes a holiday. Opinion Letter FMLA 2023-2-A looks at what happens when an employee takes leave for less than a full workweek – and that leave is intermittent. Less than a [...]

October 13th, 2023|Uncategorized|

Can you ask workers to waive OT? No.

Progressive Services of Virginia Inc., owners also paid $18K civil money penalty The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered more than $604,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for 50 employees of a Virginia Beach home healthcare agency that illegally asked workers to waive their right to receive hard-earned overtime pay. An investigation by the [...]

October 6th, 2023|Uncategorized|

What to know about tax deductions for business travel

IRS Tax Tip 2023-76, June 6, 2023 Many people travel for their job — some for an occasional conference and some travel year-round. Whatever their time on the road, business travelers should know how and when to deduct business travel expenses. What to know about tax deductions for business travel Business travel deductions are available [...]

September 29th, 2023|Uncategorized|

$22 million jury verdict for unpaid pre- and post-shift activities

Federal jury finds East Penn Manufacturing violated federal law; awards $22M in back wages, among largest wage verdicts in Department of Labor history Department of Labor finds company denied over 7.5K workers overtime; will seek damages A federal court jury has awarded back wages of more than $22 million to the U.S. Department of Labor [...]

September 22nd, 2023|Uncategorized|