Performance Reviews – Is more often than annual the new ideal?
Just about every business engages in employee performance reviews but how often does your company use them? Annually? Semi-annually? Quarterly? Is there an ideal way to handle this?
HR News
Ask HR: Leave Requested – What’s PTO? & OFLA?
Dear HR: My employee requested a leave of absence due to a serious injury that happened off-the-job. They have two weeks of PTO available and qualify for 12 weeks of OFLA leave. They are asking to take off a total of 14 consecutive weeks: 2 weeks paid and 12 unpaid. Do I have to honor the request? HR Answer: Employers may decide if PTO must be taken concurrently with OFLA. In this instance, you may […]
Federal Court Blocks Overtime Rule
Yesterday afternoon, a Federal judge in Texas halted the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new overtime rule by issuing a nationwide preliminary injunction. The recent DOL’s rule requiring “white collar” employees to be paid at least $913 per week in order to remain exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) will NOT go into effect on December 1, 2016, as planned. This injunction will delay activation of the rule and the future of the overtime […]
Ask HR: Can a Car be a Job Requirement?
Dear HR: My employee is consistently late and missing work because their ex-spouse took the car. So now I need to hire another person. May I require that applicants must have a car to apply for this job? HR Answer: You may require a car depending on the position, but ONLY if the requirement is job related. For example, if you have a job opening that requires traveling in a car throughout the workday—like […]
Ask HR: Front line staff with dandruff.
Dear HR: Our new cashier has a bad habit of scratching their head while working, causing what appears to be dandruff and scabs to fall on their clothes, floor, and counter. What can I do or say? HR Answer: As long as you have a legitimate business reason you may establish a dress code, hygiene rules and grooming standards, as long as your policy is nondiscriminatory. It is important that your employees have a […]
Ask HR: Can I shift workweeks to reduce overtime?
Dear HR: We are busy, and are exploring the addition of one or possibly two shifts. We currently have a Sunday through Saturday work week, and have employees going into overtime sometimes as early as Thursday. We are wondering about having multiple work weeks with the intent of reducing overtime. HR Answer: There does not appear to be any wiggle room under State and Federal wage laws as far as tweaking work weeks or […]
Ask HR: Do I have to pay unapproved overtime?
Dear HR: My employee is scheduled to work eight hours per shift. They are clocking in early and staying late all the time causing several over time hours per week. Can I just pay them for the eight hours they were scheduled for each shift? HR Answer: Under Federal and Oregon wage laws, employers are required to pay employees for all work that is ‘suffered or permitted’ to work. Even if you did not […]
December 1st Deadline on Minimum Salary for Exempt Employees
Department of Labor Issues Final Rules—Is Your Company Ready to Make the Change? The December 1, 2016 deadline is fast approaching ––– In case you missed our previous article, on May 18th the Department of Labor (DOL) issued final rules on New Overtime Exemption Rules which will take effect on December 1, 2016.
Final Time, On Time
There are state rules and regulations that govern when an employee’s final check must be paid. The timelines for issuing a “final paycheck” vary based on reason why the separation occurred – whether they quit with notice, or employee was terminated, etc. Penalty for Withholding Final Wages Failing to pay any part of an employee´s final wages on time causes the compensation due to the employee to continue to rack-up— at the same regular hourly […]
Ask HR: When I terminate is a reason required?
Dear HR, Can I simply tell a problem employee that their services are no longer needed? Or should call it a lay off? Since Oregon is ‘At Will’, I really don’t want to give a reason because I’m afraid I might get sued. HR Answer: Yes Oregon is an ‘At Will’ employment state, which means an employer or employee may terminate the employment relationship at any time without giving a reason. Although it is […]