Wage & Hour


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: Working “extra hours” – Volunteering? or Wage & Hour red flag?

Dear HR, At a recent board meeting of our non-profit organization, our team gave huge kudos to a team member for putting in some extra hours.  This raised a red flag in my mind — Does this employee need to be paid for all these “extra hours?”   HR Answer: Yes! Way to notice those wage and hour red flags! Employees’ hours worked should not be exceeding what is reported on the timecard.   We understand due to […]


New Overtime Exemption Rules

As expected, the United States Department of Labor has made changes to the salary threshold used to determine if an employee is exempt from overtime.  Summary of all changes Previously the minimum threshold was $455 per week. This minimum has jumped to $913 per week or $47,476 per year. There were other proposed rule changes discussed but there were no other major changes except for a mechanism to review salary thresholds every three years.


Summer Employment of Minors

With summer approaching, many business owners receive requests from friends, family and employees to offer summer employment to minors. It’s a great way to help the younger generation gain some real world work experience and provide them with their first job. But providing that “summer job” to a minor is no longer a simple matter. There are real-world restrictions and regulations that all employers must know under Oregon and federal laws.