On March 7, the Department of Labor released a proposed rule that would raise the so-called salary-level threshold for white-collar exemptions to $35,308 per year from $23,660. This means that the vast majority of employees earning under the threshold would need to be paid overtime. About 1 million workers may find themselves affected by this:…

A lookback period is the length of time that the IRS uses to measure the amount of taxes paid by an employer. The lookback period also helps the employer determine its deposit schedule. Payroll Taxes, Filings and Lookback Periods Employers must withhold federal income tax, Social Security tax and Medicare tax from employees’ wages, plus…

We live in a fast-paced society where people are forever on the go. There’s hardly ample time for work-life balance, let alone continuing education. Yet studies show that employees want opportunities for learning and development. According to a Gallup survey, 87 percent of millennials say professional development is important in a job. Further, the Harvard…

At worst, discussing salary at work is akin to opening a Pandora’s box. It can, for example, cause tension between employees, resentment toward management and a hostile work environment. To prevent this outcome, you might consider developing a policy that prohibits employees from discussing their pay with their co-workers. But before you do that, remember…

There’s a good chance many of your employees, especially younger ones, are saving to buy a home. Is there anything employers can do to help? Very possibly. First, a little background. The home ownership rate for third quarter 2018 is 64.4 percent, a slight increase from 63.9 percent in third quarter 2017. While those figures…

Most email scams end up involving requests to send money, cash checks, establish business relationships or provide confidential information. The names and details of these scams change over the years–some of them go back to the 19th century! But they keep coming back. Here are some typical scams; there are many variations. Nigerian Letter This…

Noncompete agreements are on the rise; many companies are targeting candidates who may consider a change if the right opportunity comes along. Here are nine factors to think through before you decide what’s best for your business: Noncompete basics — Often part of a larger employment contract, noncompetes prohibit your employees from working for competitors…

Shift differential refers to the extra, or premium, pay that certain employees receive for working outside normal business hours. For example, if normal business hours run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., shift differential would apply to hours worked between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. Shift differentials are more common in jobs where employees work…

In 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor published an opinion letter, clarifying whether nonexempt hourly employees should be paid for travel time. This is often a confounding matter for employers because whether travel time is work time depends on the type of travel and when it happens. Three scenarios addressed by the DOL An hourly…