Two recent California court decisions have interpreted features of California law that affect how employees spend their break time and what their employers can expect. Specifically, the decisions concern employee reprieve from work and availability during meal and rest periods. Applicable Law In California, employee meal and rest periods are prescribed by statute and Industrial Read more
Kentuckians earning minimum wage may see an increase in their pay starting this July, if Bill H2 is passed. The current minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour and may increase to $8.20 per hour beginning July 1st, if bill is approved. The bill would also increase the rate to $9.15 per hour on July Read more
Last year, the District of Columbia passed the Wage Theft Prevention Amendment Act of 2014 (DC B 671) making significant changes to D.C.’s wage and hour laws. In particular, the act increases employer liability for wage-and-hour violations and changes the administrative procedures for adjudicating wage disputes. The act also increases employers’ notice obligations to employees. Read more
The state of Wisconsin has joined forces with the U.S. Department of Labor to reduce misclassification of employees. The goal is to prevent and reduce the misclassification of independent contractors or other nonemployee statuses by having agencies work together. Under the agreement, state and federal agencies can share resources and information, as well as conduct Read more
For the first time in seven years, the minimum wage rate in the state of Massachusetts increased from $8.00 per hour to $9.00 per hour on January 1, 2015. The minimum wage rate increase is the first in a series of three annual increases required by a bill signed in 2014 by Governor Deval Patrick: Read more
On December 31, 2014, New York’s minimum wage rate increased from $8.00 per hour to $8.75 per hour. The increase is part of the three increments that started December 31, 2013. New York Governor Cuomo signed a comprehensive state budget bill on March 29, 2013 that included amendments to Section 652 of the New York Read more
The U.S. Department of Labor and New Hampshire Department of Labor have signed an agreement to protect workers’ rights by focusing on the misclassification of employees. Under this agreement, both government agencies will share information to ensure law compliance, and if necessary, coordinate law enforcement. The direct communication aims to prevent and restore the rights Read more
Beginning January 1, 2015, the minimum wage in the state of New Jersey will increase from $8.25 per hour to $8.38 per hour. The increase comes as a result of last year’s election. New Jersey voters approved the constitutional amendment that raised the minimum wage rate from $7.25 per hour to $8.25 per hour with Read more
Employers understand the importance of maintaining accurate wage and hour records for their non-exempt employees. A periodic review of recordkeeping requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) can keep an employer on track and avoid problems later on. Records To Be Kept By Employers The FLSA requires no particular form for required records, but Read more
Many small businesses rely on independent contractors for their staffing needs, but doing so raises special concerns. Independent contractors, by definition, are self-employed and because they are not employees, independent contractors are not covered by employment, labor, and related tax laws. There are many benefits to hiring independent contractors such as savings in labor costs, Read more
