Today May 20, 2014 City of Philadelphia contractors and their first-tier subcontractors must pay workers $10.88 per hour. Then, beginning January 1, 2015, that rate increases to $12.00 per hour. According to Mayor Nutter, “no person who works on a City contract should live in poverty”. Click here for the news release. This executive order Read more
Colorado’s Governor Hickenlooper has expressed his support of several bills passed by the legislature this session that if signed may have a big impact Colorado employers. Wage Protection Act of 2014 Senate Bill 5 establishes an administrative procedure that allows the Colorado Division of Labor to decide claims for nonpayment of wages or compensation up Read more
Cal/OSHA enforces the nation’s most comprehensive heat illness prevention regulations. These regulations require that all employers with outdoor workers take precautionary measures when temperatures are high. There are basic steps employers must take to ensure worker safety which include: Provide heat illness prevention training Provide cool, fresh water and encourage workers to drink water frequently Read more
Federal Law When an employer is notified that an employee is pregnant or has a pregnancy-related limitation or disability, three federal laws often come to mind: the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under these laws, an employer may have to accommodate a Read more
On January 1, 2014 Delaware’s governor signed legislation raising the state’s minimum wage. The increase occurs in two steps: Effective June 1, 2014 the rate increases to $7.75 per hour Effective June 1, 2015 the rate increases again to $8.25 per hour An additional change which was effective last year has been implemented. Back in Read more
Vermont plans to raise the state minimum wage rate from $8.73 per hour to $10.50 per hour over the next four years under a bill that passed just before the legislative session ended on Saturday. Once the bill is signed into law, Vermont will lead with the highest scheduled minimum wage rate of any state Read more
Conducting an organizational audit, reviewing formal and informal systems and procedures, helps an employer determine current and projected needs, provide protection from legal liability, as well as, prioritize issues of concern in terms of significance. Specifically, an HR audit will answer questions such as: What are our current formal and informal employment policies? Where can Read more
Shortly after taking office in January, Seattle’s new Mayor made implementing a citywide minimum wage rate a priority. His proposal has rapidly gained support and the measure is now in the final stages of becoming law. As proposed, the minimum wage rate for employees of small employers will start at $10.00 per hour beginning in Read more
According to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) over 15 million Americans live with food allergies, including those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. So what happens that some individuals suffer from food allergies and how does it work? Food allergies result from ingestion of food that the immune system mistakenly attacks as a food protein. 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
