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On Nov. 15, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas court decision vacated employers from having to comply with an increase in the salary threshold for white-collar employee exemptions [defined as executive, administrative and professional employees – EAP ] from overtime. This threshold had been set to rise to $58,656 annually as of Jan. 1, 2025—the previous July 1, 2024, increase of the salary threshold from $35,568 to $43,880 per year […]

 It’s not too late to show your appreciation for a job well done this holiday season!    Celebrate Your Employees!  Holiday bonuses can be a great way to express your gratitude toward employees, promote motivation and reinforce a positive work culture. Planning your bonus structures carefully well before the end of the year allows you to budget for them. Rewarding your staff for a job well done is a key to retaining good employees.     […]

A federal court in Texas just issued a nationwide injunction halting the implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) beneficial ownership reporting requirements.  Therefore, unless and until an appellate court overrules or narrows the injunction, no businesses are obligated to comply with the reporting requirements.    The Texas court halted the implementation of the CTA beneficial ownership reporting requirements, holding that the CTA is likely unconstitutional. It issued a preliminary injunction barring the government from enforcing the […]

Have workers in California?   Employers Must Post a “Paid Time Off for Voting” Notice by Oct. 26  Under California Elections Code Section 14001, employers who have staff that work in California are legally required to post a notice to employees that explains their rights to take time off for voting.     This notice must be posted at least 10 days before a statewide election [a date that coincides with November 5, National Election Day.] This […]

In this election year, media platforms are buzzing with heated political discussions, candidate interviews, and an endless stream of news stories centered around the upcoming presidential election. There are increasing reports from employers that political discussions and disagreements are spilling over into the workplace.  Most private-sector employees are unaware that the constitutional First Amendment right to free speech applies only to government employees, not to employees working for a private business. Government employees have protection […]

As a small business owner, you are required to offer employees different types of paid or unpaid time off, but do you need to give employees time off to vote on election day?    Currently, there is no federal law requiring employers to give workers time off to vote.  With Election Day coming up on November 5, 2024, employers need to be aware of state laws that guarantee workers time off to vote. While there’s […]

With the presidential election approaching, many workers will participate in political discussions in the workplace. While sharing business information, ideas, and news of the day with colleagues helps build camaraderie, it’s important to remember that an employee’s primary responsibility is to do the work they have been hired to do. This means that spending working time on debates about non-work topics, including politics, should be kept to a minimum to ensure productivity in the workplace.    […]

All Employees have access to Paid Leave Oregon …and many of our employers pay themselves as employees. When you, as an employer AND employee need leave, you may qualify for the Paid Leave Oregon program. Leave reasons include family leave, medical leave, and safe leave. For example, if you become the caregiver to a sick loved one or have a newborn.  Employers who pay themselves as employees of Cardinal have access to this program!   […]

 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the expiration date for Form I-9, which is used for employment eligibility verification, to May 31, 2027.    Note on Form’s Version Dates: The current form version is dated Aug. 1, 2023. Depending on when a form was accessed, the form may have an expiration date of either July 31, 2026, or the newly extended May 31, 2027.  Both version dates of the form are acceptable until July […]

You might have read Cardinal’s recent Employer Alert (https://cardinalservices.com/new-federal-overtime-rule/) that the U.S. Department of Labor [DOL] is changing the minimum salary thresholds for ​employees that are exempt from overtime​. The published deadlines for the change in salary thresholds are as follows:    July 1, 2024:   The salary threshold increases from $684 per week [$35,568 per year) to $844 per week [$43,888 per year).   January 1, 2025:   The salary threshold increases to $1,128 per week [$58,656 […]