Wage and Hour Defense Blog

 by Brian Steinbach

On May 5, 2014, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed a bill increasing the minimum wage to $10.10, in 5 steps by July 1, 2018. This follows recent legislation in suburban Maryland’s Montgomery and Prince George’s counties that will increase county minimum wages to $11.50 in various steps by October 1, 2017. (See our January 20, 2014 blog post.)

Employers in Maryland now face three different local minimum wage requirements, in addition to those imposed by federal law.

Under the new Maryland law, the general state minimum wage, currently the federal ...

In a complimentary webinar on May 22 (1:00 p.m. ET), our colleagues Jeffrey M. Landes and Susan Gross Sholinsky will present a webinar on how to strategically structure internship programs to comply with applicable wage and hour guidelines.

Join us for a discussion on how to minimize both your organization's liability and the risk of wage and hour lawsuits. In particular, below are just a few of the many questions we will address during the webinar:

• What are the best practices for recruiting and hiring seasonal interns, and what critical language should you include (or avoid) in ...

By Kara Maciel

Our national hospitality practice frequently advises restaurant owners and operators on whether it is legal for employers to pass credit card swipe fees onto employees or even to guests, and the short answer is, yes, in most states.  But whether an employer wants to actually pass along this charge and risk alienating their staff or their customers is another question.

With respect to consumers, in the majority of states, passing credit card swipe fees along in a customer surcharge became lawful in 2013.  Only ten states prohibit it:  California, Colorado, Connecticut ...

An NLRB Administrative Law Judge found that an employee who instituted a wage-hour class action lawsuit engaged in concerted activity with his co-workers, even if none of those co-workers were aware of the suit.

By Michael Kun

If employers with operations in California believed that they could not possibly face more wage claims than they already do, they can think again.

The California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement (“DLSE”) – the state agency that addresses wage claims – has launched a new website designed to notify employees of their rights and explain how to file claims:

http://www.wagetheftisacrime.com/What-We-Do.html#laborCommissioner

The website provides detailed information about the various types of claims individuals may bring, and how to bring ...

In Newman v. Advanced Technology Innovation Corp., the First Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that an employer's per diem expense reimbursements should have been included when calculating an employee's regular rate and overtime rate.

What should an employer do when a departing employee fails to cash his final paycheck?

by Michael D. Thompson

In Thompson v. Real Estate Mortgage Network, the Third Circuit addressed a variety of ways in which a plaintiff could pursue claims against entities that claimed they were not her employer.

The plaintiff was hired as a mortgage underwriter by defendant Security Atlantic Mortgage Company (“SAMC”).  Allegedly in response to an investigation being conducted into SAMC 's mortgage practices, the plaintiff and others were directed to complete job applications for Real Estate Mortgage Network ("REMN"), a “sister company” of SAMC.  The plaintiff completed ...

 By Michael Kun

At virtually every point in time, we have thought of ourselves as being technologically advanced. 

Older readers of this blog will recall the first time they ever saw a calculator.  It was the size of a paperback novel, it cost more than $100, and it was spectacular.  It was unfathomable that anyone would ever design anything more advanced.  Now, you can get a calculator at the checkout stand of your local supermarket for about $2.  And you will probably raise a few eyebrows if you buy one, if only because most people have no need for calculators.  They are built right into most laptop ...

 By Michael Kun

              You run a supermarket.  You contract with a janitorial company to come in every night to clean the aisles after you close.

               You run an ad agency.  You retain a contractor to handle your mailroom.

               You run a law firm.  You bring in a company to update the books in your law library.

               You run a hotel.  You contract with a van service to shuttle your guests to and from the airport. 

               Whatever business you are in, you are bound to enter into contracts with vendors to provide a variety of services. 

               And, except where they subcontract that work out, each of those vendors uses its employees to fulfill ...