Blog
Washington Employment Security Department Files Emergency Rule Following Supreme Court Decision
In late June, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that the eligibility criteria listed in the state law were not exclusive. Therefore, if applicants for unemployment benefits had other good...
Fiscal Year 2009 Maximum Per Diem Rates for the Continental United States
The General Services Administration updated the maximum per diem rates for travel after September 30, 2008 and before October 1, 2009. For destinations or counties not specifically listed, the...
Question of the Week: Can I Change My Pay Frequency to Bi-weekly?
This week’s question comes from Harold, a business owner. I own a business in Massachusetts. Can I switch from a weekly to a bi-weekly pay period? Answer: Under Massachusetts law it is allowable to...
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report Update for September 6, 2008
According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending September 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 445,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised...
Tip of the Week: Reduce Paperwork with Per Diem Reimbursements
Do you reimburse employees for travel and meal expenses? Reduce paperwork and substantiation requirements through the use of a per diem reimbursement. By using a per diem that does not exceed the...
Oregon Supreme Court Rules Directors’ Fees Not Subject to State Unemployment Tax
The Oregon Supreme Court recently ruled in Necanicum Investment Co. v. Employment Department, SC S055231, July 24, 2008, that directors’ fees paid to a company’s board of directors are not wages for...
New California Law Clarifies Temporary Agency Wage Payment Frequency
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed into law SB 940 which clarifies when temporary agencies must pay their employees. Under the law employees of temporary agencies must...
US District Court Rules Lifeguards Not Eligible for Overtime
The US District Court for the District of Columbia granted summary judgment to the defendants in a lawsuit by two lifeguards seeking overtime pay. In Miroslav Ivanov, et.al., v. Sunset Pools...
Question of the Week: How Long Does It Take to Activate an Employee’s Direct Deposit?
This week’s question comes from Crystal, an office manager. I have an employee who wants to have his paycheck direct deposited into his account. How long will it take for the direct deposit to...
Unemployment Rate Rose to 6.1% in August
The unemployment rate rose from 5.7 to 6.1 percent in August, and nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend down (-84,000), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor...
