The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) enables eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during a 12-month period for qualifying family and medical reasons. While the FMLA provides a federal baseline for covered employers and eligible employees, some states have adopted their own state-mandated family and medical leave programs. These state programs may differ from federal FMLA requirements. For example, unlike the federal FMLA, the N

At the time of hire, employers must complete Form I-9, which is an employment eligibility verification. Many employers have utilized E-Verify to accomplish this easier. E-Verify is an online system that compares any information obtained by Form I-9 with government records, confirming an employee’s identity and authorization to work in the United States. First and foremost, it’s important to have a certain degree of understanding of the requirements of Form I-9. Instructions o

Two of the top concerns for employers should be creating a secure work environment and protecting the privacy of company and customer/client information. To that end, some employers choose to ban the use of personal phone mobile devices by employees while they are at work. However, it’s important to understand the limitations of such policies. Invasion of Privacy is a common law tort that protects individuals’ privacy from intrusions or unwanted breaches of privacy. Similarly

The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, and youth employment standards. All employees in the private sector and federal, state, and local governments must comply with these standards. Correct employee classification of exempt versus nonexempt employee status is important to all employers. Employers cannot arbitrarily assign their employees to one classification or the other based upon employee requests or ease of payroll processing. Instead, the FLSA offers clea

It is imperative that all employers provide a productive work environment that is free from discrimination. Discrimination refers to employment decisions that are motivated by a protected characteristic. Employment decisions may include, for example: hiring, firing, transferring, promoting, demoting, benefits, compensation, and other conditions of employment. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it u

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives employees and their families the right to choose to continue their health care benefits for a limited time if their health care coverage is lost due to a qualifying event. These qualifying events include but are not limited to voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, a covered spouse’s divorce or legal separation from the employee, or a covered dependent’s change in status. Employers nee

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives employees and their families the right to choose to continue their health care benefits for a limited time if their health care coverage is lost due to a qualifying event. These qualifying events include but are not limited to voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, a covered spouse’s divorce or legal separation from the employee, or a covered dependent’s change in status. Employers nee

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was created to prevent undocumented immigrants from being employed in the United States. From that act, Form I-9 is used by employers to verify each new hire’s identity and authorization to work in the US. In 1996, E-Verify was developed through the Department of Homeland Security. This website helps businesses determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the US. It is important for businesses to know that E-Verify sho