The federal agency that enforces workplace anti-discrimination laws is suing an employer for allegedly failing to accommodate an employee’s known pregnancy-related limitations, the first-ever lawsuit filed under the new...more
There’s been a lot of buzz about tipped wages as Election Day approaches – and hospitality employers will want to track key proposals that may have a huge impact on pay practices. Former President Trump and Vice President...more
9/3/2024
/ Ballot Measures ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Income Taxes ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Service Charges ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tax Credits ,
Tip Credit ,
Tip-Pooling ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
A federal appeals court just delivered some good news to hospitality employers by blocking the Department of Labor’s infamous 80/20/30 rule, providing immediate relief to employers around the country by vacating the...more
8/26/2024
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Appeals ,
Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Final Rules ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Minimum Wage ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage & Hour Division (WHD) ,
Wage and Hour
While many federal and state laws protect employees against harassment, workplace bullying often isn’t covered unless it is based on a protected characteristic, such as race or gender. But that doesn’t mean employers should...more
By now you’ve heard of “quiet quitting” — a movement where employees rejected hustle culture or going above and beyond what their jobs required. But a new trend this summer takes the “quiet” concept to another level. Instead...more
The Kentucky Legislature recently delivered good news to employers when it passed a new law reducing the time employees have to bring certain claims under state law, including discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge,...more
Federal employment protections for LGBTQ+ individuals have greatly expanded over the past four years. While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) remains committed to preventing workplace discrimination...more
6/7/2024
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Bostock v Clayton County Georgia ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Gender Identity ,
LGBTQ ,
New Guidance ,
Sexual Orientation ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Title VII ,
Transgender
Many restaurants utilize tip pools to encourage teamwork, consistency, and customer-focused service – but you may be confused about who can and can’t participate in the pool. You feel confident that your servers and...more
5/17/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Minimum Wage ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Tip Credit ,
Tip-Pooling ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
Employers may need to update their harassment-prevention policies, procedures, and trainings now that the federal government released long-anticipated guidance on the topic. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s...more
4/30/2024
/ Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Bias ,
Employee Training ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
LGBTQ ,
New Guidance ,
Pregnancy ,
Pregnancy Discrimination ,
Religious Expression ,
Remote Working ,
Sexual Harassment
A finalized rule released by the EEOC Monday will require employers to accommodate applicants and workers who need time off or other workplace modifications for an abortion procedure or recovery. That is the most significant...more
When Taylor Swift revealed the track list for “The Tortured Poets Department” – a new album she’ll release on April 19 – fans immediately began theorizing about what might have inspired each song. While your #FPSwifties live...more
4/12/2024
/ Ban the Box ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Job Applicants ,
Notice Requirements ,
Recruitment Policies ,
Remote Working ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Romances
The day before Valentine’s Day is about “ladies celebrating ladies,” as Amy Poehler’s character on the TV show Parks & Rec put it – it’s Galentine’s Day. But this year, your organization shouldn’t just leave it to women to...more
2/12/2024
/ Diversity ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Engagement ,
Employee Retention ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Pay ,
Flexible Work Arrangements ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Promotions ,
Mentors ,
Wellness Programs ,
Work Life Balance
Tipping is everywhere: the coffee shop, the florist, and even the dry cleaner! This booming tip culture has led many employers that may not have traditionally established a tip pool to consider using one to ease the impact of...more
While we respect Taylor Swift’s accomplishments for so many reasons, your #FPSwifties particularly admire Ms. Swift as an employer. From employee appreciation (those legendary tour bonuses sound really nice!) to her...more
Artificial intelligence is already changing the landscape of the workplace – and has the potential to change the very business model used by staffing agencies. What benefits can staffing agencies realize by deploying AI...more
Hotel staff often include a mix of tipped and non-tipped jobs, but following wage and hour rules isn’t always easy, particularly if employees perform a variety of tasks. Some workers — such as servers and bartenders — may...more
9/13/2023
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Hotels ,
Minimum Wage ,
Tip Credit ,
Tip-Pooling ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage & Hour Division (WHD) ,
Wage and Hour
Employers may soon have more clarity on providing pregnancy-related reasonable accommodations now that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released proposed regulations this week – but questions may still...more
Singer-songwriter Lizzo was all over the headlines last week — but not for one of her latest hit songs. Instead, the Grammy-award-winning entertainer was sued by three former dancers asserting various claims, including...more
The rise of artificial intelligence – especially Generative AI (GenAI) – will cause women and diverse groups to lose their jobs at disproportionate rates through the year 2030, according to a report published last week by...more
A federal court just refused to block the U.S. Department of Labor’s infamous 80/20 rule, which applies to employers that take the tip credit toward their minimum wage obligation under federal wage and hour law – which means...more
Many employers may have missed the news about a new federal law protecting pregnant employees and those with childbirth-related medical conditions. After all, it was approved as just one part of a massive omnibus spending...more
Employers are keenly aware that the labor market is very tight, and you’re likely struggling to find talent. As summer approaches and many employers move into their busiest season, you may be looking at creative staffing...more
As an FP Weekly member, you’ll receive practical and cutting-edge checklists of issues to consider, action steps to take, and goals to accomplish to ensure you remain on the top of your game when it comes to workplace...more
Employers should review their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and anti-discrimination policies as federal and state laws protecting transgender workers continue to take shape. Earlier this month, the Equal Employment...more
5/8/2023
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Best Practices ,
Bostock v Clayton County Georgia ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Gender Identity ,
Hostile Environment ,
LGBTQ ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Orientation ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
State Labor Laws ,
Title VII ,
Transgender
Do you utilize a tip pool in your restaurant? If so, you are likely aware of the various rules on maintaining a valid, lawful tip pool under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and applicable state laws. You surely...more