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Exempt Employees: Deductions for Disability Leave Didn’t Violate Salary Basis Rule; Tips for Reviewing Your Plan

Under California and federal law, an exempt employee must receive his or her full salary for any week in which the person performs any work, regardless of the quality or number of hours worked. This is known as the “salary basis” rule. If you dock an exempt employee’s weekly salary, you could violate this rule […]

Employment Law Tip: Exempt Employees and Holiday Shutdowns

During the holiday season, many employers shut down their operations for a few days over Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s. If you’re thinking of closing up shop for the remaining holidays this year, first make sure you’re up on special pay rules for employees who qualify as exempt from overtime. Paying Overtime: 10 Key Exemption […]

Taxes: New Law Requires Earned Income Tax Credit Notice to Employees

A new law that goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2008, requires employers to provide a new notice to employees, along with annual wage summaries (such as W-2 or 1099 forms). The measure, A.B. 650, requires all California employers to give all employees written notice of employees’ possible right to take an Earned Income Tax […]

Seniority: Do We Have to Bend Our Strict Seniority System to Offer a Reasonable Accommodation?

We have a strict seniority system. Do we have to bump one of our workers to give another employee a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act? — Anonymous    How To Survive an Employee Lawsuit: 10 Tips for Success With lawsuits against employers becoming ever more common—and jury verdicts skyrocketing—your risk of getting […]

Disabilities: How Do We Determine Whether an Employee Is a Safety Threat?

We have a large workforce, and many people operate machinery, fork trucks, etc. Plus, many handle hazardous substances. We now think that some employees have medical conditions that may cause them to lose concentration, and we have some other employees who may be taking medications that might affect their ability to work safely. How do […]

Claims Adjusters Don’t Qualify for Overtime Exemption

Liberty Mutual’s claims adjusters investigated and estimated claims, made coverage determinations, negotiated settlements, and identified potential fraud. The claims adjusters sued the insurer for back overtime pay, claiming they were misclassified as exempt administrative employees. A California appeals court has now ruled in the employees’ favor, finding that they didn’t qualify for the administrative overtime […]

Employment Law Tip: Paying Employees in a Disaster

The wildfires that have flared up in Southern California are a grim reminder that disaster can strike at any time and result in unexpected workplace closures. A special provision in the Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders permits you to send nonexempt employees home—without having to pay a reporting-time premium—in any of these situations: Operations can’t […]

Legislation: What’s Coming for 2008

On October 14, Gov. Schwarzenegger wrapped up his review of pending measures, signing bills that are of interest to employers and vetoing many others. Join the Employer Resource Institute and noted California employment law experts on December 10-12 at the historic Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, California, for a full rundown on legislation California employers need […]

Employment Law Tip: Direct Deposit—Don’t Force It

Direct payroll deposit can be a real timesaver for employers and employees alike. But did you know that California law prohibits employers from requiring employees to use direct deposit for their paychecks? Specifically, Labor Code Section 213 makes it clear that employers can use direct deposit, but only when the employee voluntarily authorizes it. Additional […]

Employment Law Tip: Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault

In California, an employer with 25 or more employees is prohibited from discharging or in any way discriminating or retaliating against an employee who is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault because that person takes time off from work for any of these reasons: to seek medical attention for injuries caused by the […]