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…

What is the GDPR? In January 2012, the European Commission created a proposal to reform data protection rules across the European Union (EU). Passed on May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a major component of this reform. The rules within the GDPR are designed to give EU residents more control over…

Most employers must deal with COBRA at one time or another, and all too often they make these mistakes. 1. Not realizing the group health plan is subject to COBRA. Under COBRA, if you have at least 20 employees and a group health plan, you must give qualified beneficiaries who lose coverage due to a…

Time and labor (also called time and attendance) involves tracking employees’ start and end times, early departures, late arrivals, breaks taken and absenteeism. Payroll involves, among other things, making sure employees are paid correctly based on their time-labor records. The two functions are entwined, which made it difficult for employers who had to rely on…

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as a dog (or in limited cases, a miniature horse) “that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.” Note that there must be a direct connection between the dog’s tasks and the person’s disability — meaning,…

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, an employer brand “is essentially what the organization communicates as its identity to both potential and current employees. It encompasses an organization’s mission, values, culture and personality.” Your benefits brand is part of your company’s identity, as it influences what job seekers and employees think about you…