By Joseph G. Ballstaedt Let’s suppose that Jimmy works at Generic Burger Joint in Idaho and is a picture-perfect employee. He always arrives at work on time, can whip out a Generic Burger every thirty seconds, and is great with customers. More importantly, revenues have doubled since Jimmy started working.…
By Lane V. Erickson, Attorney An employee handbook is a written document that provides an explanation of the workplace, and contains the employer’s policies and rules for new and existing employees. Employee handbooks do not have to be lengthy. To accomplish their purpose, most Idaho Employee Handbooks contain basic information.…
By Lane Erickson, Attorney As I was driving to work one day I saw a bumper sticker on a car that said “At Will Employment Sucks”. Having practiced in employment law for nearly 20 years, I often have clients that misunderstand the at-will employment laws. This particular bumper sticker was…
By Lane V. Erickson Many, but not all Idaho employers offer benefits of some sort to their full-time employees. This could include vacation pay, health, dental or life insurance, sick pay, paid time off for holidays, or other similar benefits. Employment benefits of these types are a fantastic addition to…
By Joseph G. Ballstaedt Idaho’s minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Idaho Code § 44-1502. Idaho has chosen to mirror the federal minimum wage, which is established in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). 29 U.S.C.S. § 206(a)(1)(C). Some states have not kept up with the federal minimum wage. For…
By Joseph G. Ballstaedt The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows certain employees unpaid leave for various medical purposes, including caring for a spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition. 29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1)(c). On February 25, 2015, the Department of Labor revised the definition of “spouse”…
By Joseph G. Ballstaedt The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that provides minimum wage, overtime pay, and other protections to covered, nonexempt employees. Employees who are “engaged in commerce” are covered employees. 29 U.S.C.S. § 206(a). An employee is engaged in commerce if he or she…