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If you are an employer with federal government contracts, prepare to pay your employees a higher minimum wage on new contracts soon. President Barack Obama announced in a Jan. 28 White House fact sheet that he intends to issue an executive order in coming weeks requiring employers to pay contract workers at least $10.10 an hour, so price your future bids accordingly and anticipate additional guidance to ensure compliance.

Owning a restaurant seems like a glamorous idea, or at least it did to me, but there’s more to running a restaurant than cooking good food and mingling with customers. In order to be a successful restaurateur you have to have a good grasp on the fundamentals on running your establishment. You have to meet customer demands, maintain inventory as well as staff and manage expenses.

For many people losing weight tops the lists of resolutions, but it isn’t the only solution to improving your well-being. Start the New Year right by shaving a few pounds off your work load rather than just your waist.  With tax season right around the corner, now is the perfect time to get all your […]

Experts say that this trend is endangered by an excise tax, otherwise known informally as the “Cadillac tax,” mandated under the federal government’s Affordable Care Act.

Although there have been numerous delays with the Affordable Care Act, it is important that business owners continue to plan for its changes – especially within the hospitality industry. This industry can be impacted significantly by the ACA, as much of the workforce is considered part- time, seasonal or temporary.

In the scope of basic math, the difference between 30 and 40 isn’t much. The continuing battle over the Affordable Care Act (ACA), however, is anything but basic. Currently at stake in the U.S. House of Representatives is the definition of a full-time employee. Whereas most federal labor laws equate a 40-hour workweek to full-time employment, the ACA definition lowers that to 30.

For employers who received a Tentative Nonconfirmation for employees between Sept. 17 and Sept. 30, and were unable to resolve it due to the shutdown, the employees will have 12 federal business days added to the date printed on the “Referral Letter” or “Referral Date Confirmation” to resolve such cases. Employees have until that date to contact the Social Security Administration or the Department of Homeland Security to resolve their cases.

In the past, internships have been equated to apprenticeships: the student learns from the master in a real-world industry environment. In this traditional view, the interns are beholden to the company for the work experience, knowledge and contacts they’ve received.

Congress was unable to come to a resolution causing the federal government to shut down as of Oct. 1. These actions not only impact federal employees and agencies, but its effects will ripple down to employers until an appropriations bill is passed. Below is a rundown of a variety of employment-related issues created due to the shutdown.

As if the Affordable Care Act couldn’t get any more confusing, the Department of Labor (DOL) has released an FAQ with inconsistent messaging pertaining to the Oct. 1 Notice of Marketplace requirement for employers. Dated Sept. 11, the FAQ implies that if employers do not wish to distribute the notices, they will not be penalized. One would think the same language would be updated accordingly in the DOL’s technical release, right? Wrong!

As Oct. 1 quickly approaches, you may be feeling haunted by health care reform and the upcoming exchange notification requirements facing ALL employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Even if you already offer adequate and affordable health coverage to your employees, you too are required to issue exchange notifications to educate your workforce on the new health care marketplace.

The Affordable Care Act has left business owners scratching their heads on how they can manage a successful business while offering affordable coverage or paying substantial fines for non-compliance. Some industries are more vulnerable to health care reform than others, especially the retail and food services sector. The tumultuous task of monitoring employee’s hours, determining a standard measurement period, while also continuing to run a successful business remains a serious concern for those in industries that once relished its unique professional flexibility.