While we were all enjoying the Friday after Thanksgiving the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued a set of rules that could benefit a small (probably) number of employees by making them eligible to participate in an employer’s 401K defined contribution plan.

The use of forfeitures to offset employer contributions is well established and is explicitly permitted under treasury regulations and is consistent with Department of Labor guidance.  So why is this approach an issue now?

The State of Washington has been a leader in pay transparency law.  The Equal Pay and Opportunities Act prohibits gender pay discrimination by addressing business practices that contribute to income disparities between genders.  Further, all pay ranges and benefits for a job advertisement must be in the posting.   Specifically, a “posting” is defined as any solicitation, including recruitment done directly by an employer or indirectly through a third...

Shaun Fain, UAW President, is not only taking a victory lap around the recent contract settlements with the Detroit Three, but he has also repeatedly vowed to organize the other non-union auto manufacturers and their suppliers so that in 2028 he will be bargaining against the Big Five or Six.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has ushered in significant changes to the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) standards. This final rule, effective October 23, 2023, comprised of hundreds of pages, is poised to impact over one million construction workers. Alongside the comprehensive revisions, the DOL has released a set of Frequently Asked Questions to guide stakeholders through the intricacies of the updated regulations.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is looking at an employer’s delivery driver expense plan. Under federal law a business can reimburse delivery drivers through a reasonable approximation of their expenses rather than using a mileage expense method, as long as the total reimbursement, along with any wages does not reduce the driver’s take home pay below minimum wage.

In short, yes, employees who telework are eligible for Family Medical Leave Act/ FMLA leave on the same basis as employees who report to any other worksite to perform their job.  An employee who has worked for an employer for at least 12 months, has at least 1,250 hours of service for the employer during the 12-month period immediately preceding the leave, and works at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles is eligible for FMLA leave.

Research from Payscale revealed that the health of an organization in terms of its prospects has emerged as the foremost motivator driving employees to seek new job opportunities.  Payscale’s Retention Report delves into the primary reasons behind employee attrition and the influence of pay transparency. The research findings reveal intriguing insights into the dynamics of the modern workforce.

Striking a balance between work and personal life has become increasingly challenging. As employers strive to be more inclusive and flexible, the concept of floating holidays has emerged as a valuable tool to help employees maintain a balance.

As reported last week, on August 30, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it is proposing a revised rule that will increase its Salary Level Test by revising part of the Exemption Tests in its regulations. To be classified as an exempt employee under the DOL regulations, the job must meet three tests as outlined by the FLSA regulations:

In a March report released by the Pew Research Center, it was revealed that in 2022, women in the United States typically earned 82 cents for each dollar earned by men in similar roles. This statistic remained stagnant when compared to the year 2002 when women earned 80 cents on the dollar. The slow pace of narrowing the gender pay gap in the 21st century stands in stark contrast to the considerable progress made in the preceding two decades. In 1982, women were earning a mere 65 cents for...

Paid parental leave is a critical policy that provides employees with the opportunity to take time off work to care for their newborn or newly adopted child while receiving a portion of their regular pay. While many countries around the world have implemented paid parental leave policies, the United States has been slow to catch up.

Growing inflation has been the source of much conversation in the past three years.  Much of the conversation revolves around how inflation impacts wages.  A recent article in Forbes provides some good analysis around why salary increases do not always align with inflation. 

The Colorado legislature has passed the Ensure Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, amending the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEW) to clarify and enhance an employer’s obligations relating to the announcement of a promotional opportunity.  The effective date is January 1, 2024.  Why does this matter to Michigan employers?  Because Michigan is seemingly taking all of the progressive employment initiatives throughout the country and trying to pass them into law...

As organizations plan for the future, one important aspect that requires careful consideration is salary budgets. Anticipating and forecasting salary trends is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, maintaining competitiveness in the job market, and ensuring the financial health of businesses.

Earlier this month, ASE released the results of the 2023 Compensation Survey. What makes our survey unique is the employer-reported benchmarked data – with a 65% constant sample (companies who report year after year.) This year’s results show larger than normal wage growth due to inflation and other economic factors.

ASE, Michigan’s largest employer association supporting its members with Everything HR, has released the findings of its 2023 ASE Compensation Survey.  The full results were presented at the Michigan Pay & Economic Briefing that took place June 6^th in Troy.

Voluntary benefits are services or products offered by employers, often at discounted rates, as a perk of employment. Employers can provide benefits that employees want, while employees will have a variety of insurance options available in one convenient place and as the name implies, it is optional to purchase.

In recent years, the concept of unlimited time off has gained attention as a progressive approach to employee vacation policies. This innovative policy grants employees the flexibility to take as much time off as they need, without strict limitations. While it may sound appealing, it is essential to examine the advantages and disadvantages of unlimited time off to understand its potential impact on employees and organizations alike.

New York City is deferring enforcement of its first-in-the-nation regulation of the use of AI-driven hiring tools (Local Law 144 of 2021), which was initially slated to go into effect on January 1, 2023. The law is actually in effect currently, but enforcement has been deferred to July 5, 2023.  The delay in enforcement was announced by the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection in an update as part of the publication of a final rule implementing Local Law 144. ...

Last week the CEO of MillerKnoll Inc. made some news for telling employees to leave “pity city” because they were concerned about whether they would receive any bonuses due to the fact it appeared the company would be short about $26 million toward their financial goal for the year. Ms. Andi Owen posted a video to her employees stating, “Spend your time and your effort thinking about the $26 million we need, and not thinking about what you are going to do if you don’t...

Remote work offers companies and employees more flexibility. We’re no longer limited by geography. Technology makes it easy to collaborate across the entire country. However, the complex issues that arise with out-of-state employees can be a barrier to nationwide hiring practices—and failure to comply can result in large fines and fees.

Employee compensation is a critical factor in employee retention. When employees feel that they are being fairly compensated for their work, they are more likely to stay with their current employer. However, compensation is not just about salary, but also includes benefits, incentives, and other forms of rewards.

Pay transparency is the employer practice of disclosing information about employee compensation standards to others — internally, externally, or both. States and municipalities across the country have enacted or are considering implementation of laws and ordinances that require employers to provide pay data information to the public when putting out hiring notices or when requested by candidates seeking employment.

Can you afford to retire?  Many think not. Bills have to be paid and cash is at a premium, especially in this inflationary time.  Moreover, although many have stayed the course, and over the pandemic saved more, investments have taken a major hit.  Add the fact concerning all the articles predicting the bankruptcy of Social Security (which is unlikely) and the belief by the younger generations that it won’t be there when they reach the age of retirement, there is a...