Minimum Wage

New $15 minimum wage bill will be introduced in the Senate today.

January 16, 2019 | by Eric B. Meyer

Copyright Free – Stock Free images. Public Domain image dedication. CC0 1.0 Universal Licence – http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

For nearly ten years, from September 1, 1997 through July 23, 2007, the federal minimum wage was $5.15 per hour. Three times in the following two years, the minimum wage rose, settling in at $7.25 per hour on July 24, 2009. The minimum wage has remained $7.25 since then.

That might change soon. Continue reading

When does federal law require you to pay a job applicant to interview? Wait, what?!? (UPDATED)

December 20, 2018 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: Pixabay.com (https://pixabay.com/en/dollar-gift-hand-keep-give-3313761/)

#TheMoreYouKnow Continue reading

Fair Labor Standards Act Obituaries: The 80/20 Rule

November 14, 2018 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: Photofunia.com (http://photofunia.com/results/5beb885c846d785f4e8b456d)

The 80/20 rule passed away peacefully on November 8, 2018, when the U.S. Department of Labor issued this Opinion Letter. Continue reading

Citing Harry Potter, Third Circuit requires employers to pay non-exempt workers for short breaks.

October 15, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

Yep, Harry Potter. Continue reading

If you own a restaurant, and pay servers more than minimum wage, can you keep customer tips?

August 29, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

A few years back, some progressive (?) restaurants around the country made headlines by paying their waitstaff more than minimum wage and putting the kibosh on customer tips.

This broke with the traditional way of paying customarily-tipped employees ~~in scratch offs and iced animal crackers~~. That is, most employers would pay the minimum-required cash wage of $2.13 under the Fair Labor Standards Act (unless your state requires a higher minimum wage) and use customer tips as a credit against the $7.25/hr. minimum wage obligation to the employee. This is known as, you guessed it, the tip credit. Continue reading

The 6 Ways “Covfefe” Can Improve HR Compliance

June 5, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

@RealDonaldTrump on Twitter

It all began last week with a (possible) typographical error in a tweet from our 45th President, “Despite the constant negative press covfefe.”

At first, President Trump’s tweet confused us; “covfefe” even stumped a spelling bee champ while creating a spike in demand for novelty license plates.

But then President Trump doubled down on Twitter, “Who can figure out the true meaning of “covfefe” ??? Enjoy!” Well, his Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, told reporters, “The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant.”

Folks, you’re in luck! As part of that small group of people, I know exactly what President Trump met. You see, “covfefe” is the solution to all of your HR-compliance problems.

Do you need the new FLSA poster? Well, since I asked…

August 15, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

We know from Friday’s post that 89% of you are federal wage and hour minimum-wage all-stars. To celebrate, and because I love each and every one of you, the least I could do is hook you up with the U.S. Department of Labor’s new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Minimum Wage Poster.

Do most employers pay minimum-wage workers more than $7.25/hour? YES! (And it’s not even close)

August 12, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

Since July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees has been $7.25 per hour. Many states and cities have raised that floor, with some cities, like Seattle, headed to $15/hr.

But, federally, despite pressure from many to raise it, we’ve been stuck at a $7.25 minimum wage for over 7 years.

Quietly, the DOL jacks up penalties for willful overtime and minimum wage violations.

July 5, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

How was your Fourth of July weekend?

Did you knock your 5-year-old off of her scooter in the middle of Main Street to the shocked and judging, “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhs….” of spectators on both sides of the street with smartphones up capturing all of the parade action for posterity?

***checks YouTube again***

Well, neither did I.

#SOTU and the #Workplace: A full debriefing of last night’s Presidential address

January 21, 2015 | by Eric B. Meyer

I had every intention of watching the President address the Nation last night. I really did.

But, then I got sucked into the Director’s Cut of The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island, the one where the Washington Generals show up first and replace all the confetti with lice. Then poor Lovie Howell takes some shrapnel and, frankly, I didn’t realize that Thurston could order a hit squad so quickly to a remote Island.

By the time I remembered the SOTU, the Harlem Globetrotters were busting out a ladder — sorry, Krusty — and que sera.

Fortunately for me, and, by extension, you, the White House printed a copy of the SOTU, which I could ~~cut and paste~~ expertly analyze for you after the jump…

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