Snow day: Do I pay my employees?
It happens every year in Wisconsin. A snowstorm is brewing (or seemingly shows up out of nowhere) and you have a decision to make: Do I close the office?
WITH JESSICA M. KRAMER AND ASHLIE B. JOHNSON
Hidden dangers of checking out employees or candidates on Facebook
Social media provides insight into a person’s life, or at least what that person wants others to see of their life. Hopping on Facebook (or Instagram or Twitter) to browse an employee or potential employee’s posted content is tempting. However, the ease of obtaining personal information with just a few clicks brings with it potential dangers for employers in Wisconsin, as well.
Anti-harassment policies and why your business should have one
Today’s societal climate may help remind employers that they must be cognizant of the impact that claims of sexual or other types of harassment can have on their business and reputations.
I-9 audits will increase in 2018 and beyond. What should employers do to protect themselves?
Given this dramatic increase and the risks associated with failing an audit, employers should confirm that their current and historical Form I-9 compliance practices meet federal requirements.
12 tips for maintaining — and allowing access to — personnel files
If you have employees, you may have heard that you should keep employee files, also called personnel files. You may also know that there is a state law requiring employers to allow employees to view their own files. But what exactly should you keep in them?
Independent contractor status: If it walks like a duck …
Many businesses use independent contractors. You might use them. If both the business and the individual agree, and even put their agreement in writing, then the individual is an independent contractor, there’s nothing to worry about, right? Wrong.
Independent contractors: What we can learn from the Jammal v. Am Fam decision
In the Jammal case, the court found that, under ERISA, the agents were employees, and had been misclassified as independent contractors.
Can I hold my departed employee’s paycheck if I believe she owes the company money?
We employers have all been there: an employee quits without notice and still possesses uniforms or equipment that belong to the company. Or worse, the employee is disgruntled and damages property of the company on her way out.
Can my child work at my business?
As recently reported in the news, The Mixing Bowl Bakery in Sauk City is under fire for accusations of violations of child labor laws.
How badly does my employee have to mess up to be denied UI benefits?
Knowing whether an employee either is or is not eligible for UI benefits is helpful in lowering the employer’s UI tax rate.
Jessica M. Kramer is a partner at Kramer, Elkins & Watt LLC in Madison and writes about employment law. At KEW she handles employment law matters for businesses and individuals, and represents landlords in all aspects of landlord-tenant law. Jessica received her undergraduate degree from UW–Madison in 2000 and her Juris Doctor from the UW Law School in 2004.
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Ashlie B. Johnson, PHR, is the owner of Brooke Human Resource Solutions, serving the Dane County area. BrookeHR operates as an independent HR contracting resource for small businesses, providing a wide range of support as well as policy language, documentation, and employment agreements that meet today’s complex compliance standards. Ashlie received her B.S. in Human Resource Management from St. Cloud State University in 2002 and has been a certified PHR since 2007.
