Lora Patterson
19 articles
2019 Minimum Wage Changes in the United States
Across the US, states are raising their minimum wage laws every month. If it's been hard for you to stay on top of the changes, check out this updated list.
How can my company rescind a job offer?
Rescinding a job offer letter comes with compliance risks. Before you take back that job offer, read about the potential risks and how to avoid them.
How do I know if I’m compensating employees fairly, in accordance with industry standards?
The two basic steps are to: Research the salaries that other organizations are offering for similar positions in your region. Evaluate how much the employee will cost your organization compared to the value that person will generate to arrive at a general range for compensation. The sections below expand on these two steps. Industry Comparison […]
Is it ok to request W2’s from an employee to verify their income before extending them a job offer?
What you need to know about W2 Employment Verification Technically, requesting a W-2 from a job applicant isn’t prohibited, but it raises potential issues that you should consider carefully before taking said action. Moreover, this request can have a substantial negative effect on applicants, who are likely to consider it inappropriate and intrusive. State Laws […]
In California, do I need to grant sick leave to my employees?
As of July 1, 2015, employees who’ve worked for at least 30 days in the state of California, and at least 90 days for a company, will be eligible to take 24 hours or three days of paid sick leave per year. Who’s Eligible Eligible employees include exempt/non-exempt, salaried, hourly, and part-time employees as well […]
Do I have to give a salaried employee time off? If so, how much vacation and sick time would I have to give, and does it have to be paid?
Salaried employees are regulated by federal and state laws, and neither law requires employers to offer paid vacation or holidays for exempt employees, regardless of the size of the company.
For small businesses in San Francisco, what is the average number of Paid Time Off (PTO) days provided for employees?
Overview of Paid Time Off (PTO) PTO typically includes vacation, sick, and personal time, and is regularly the predominant employee benefit offered in the private industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Nationally, the average number of vacation, sick, and personal leave hours were 77, 61, and 37 hours respectively, which totals to 175 […]
In establishing pay grades, what’s the most reliable way to obtain market data for comparable positions?
Benchmark Positions Benchmark positions, meaning jobs with similar duties, are the best sources for comparing salaries across positions. For some positions, such as an accountant, it’s relatively easy to find an average range of salaries. For less clearly established positions, like Scrum Master, you may need to write out a position’s required duties and then […]
Does my company need to comply with the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?
FMLA provides unpaid, job-protected leave for employees. But are you required to comply? Find out in this guide.
Can a company extend benefits to the same-sex spouse of an employee?
Insurance companies that offer health coverage to opposite-sex spouses must offer the same coverage to same-sex spouses.
