The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued a final rule that would increase the required salary thresholds for employees to be exempt from overtime requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The increases to...more
5/7/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Final Rules ,
Highly Compensated Employees ,
Labor Regulations ,
Minimum Salary ,
Over-Time ,
Salaried Employees ,
Threshold Requirements ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
On Monday, Portland City Councilors took two significant actions that affect employers in Portland, Maine. First, the Council repealed an emergency order from March 2020, eliminating the hazard pay provision set forth in the...more
1/6/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Hazard Pay ,
Masks ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Popular ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Q: I am concerned about employees coming to work with a fever—can I test employees’ temperatures before allowing them to work to avoid spreading the coronavirus?
Verrill’s View: Maybe—but there are many factors to consider....more
3/19/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Medical Examinations ,
NLRA ,
OSHA ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Governor Mills has signed into law amendments to the existing Workers’ Compensation Act that are the product of a bipartisan effort to avoid a series of proposed legislation that would have had the very real risk of dragging...more
On May 28, 2019, Governor Mills signed into law the nation’s first ever paid leave law requiring leave for any reason. The statute itself is uniquely brief, giving the impression that it is straightforward, but there are a...more
The workers’ compensation landscape is constantly evolving, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. In this webinar hosted on April 17, 2019, Verrill Dana attorneys Elizabeth Connellan Smith and Elizabeth Johnston explored the...more
4/29/2019
/ Employee Benefits ,
Employment Litigation ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Costs ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Pending Legislation ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workers Compensation Act ,
Workers' Compensation Claim ,
Workplace Injury
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently announced a proposed rule updating regulations governing what items are included in an employee’s regular rate of pay. This constitutes the first update to the...more
We’re halfway through December, which means that the New Year is right around the corner. January 1st always seems to inspire a host of new goals and aspirations for the year ahead, and if you are in human resources, we have...more
12/21/2018
/ Employee Benefits ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Employment Records ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
New Legislation ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Risk Mitigation ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Employees often take time off around the holidays. In many cases, an employee’s days off might be pursuant to a planned vacation or time with loved ones. However, an employee might request leave for a situation that would...more
He’s making a list and checking it twice—you know the drill: Santa’s game is that he rewards good behavior during the year with gifts under the tree. And when it comes to employees, the most requested item on their list...more
12/12/2018
/ Bonuses ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Holiday Gifts ,
Holiday Pay ,
Non-Exempt Employees ,
Over-Time ,
Rate of Pay ,
Wage and Hour ,
Withholding Tax
It’s no secret that the holiday seasons spark an influx of shoppers hunting for good deals and great gifts for loved ones. Although the prevalence of online shopping has exploded in the past few years, brick-and mortar-stores...more