United States: Employee Handbook: Employer’s First Line Of Defense

“The reasons for employee handbooks are many,” says business consultant Jan L. Makela in The Frederick News-Post, “but primarily, they are an employer’s first line of defense in the event that a claim is filed against you by a current or former employee. If you don’t have written policies, you have no defense.”

We have been touting the value of handbooks for years.   See our two-part “Top Ten Essential Components Of An Employee Handbook,” posted on July […]

By | January 7th, 2014 ||

Belgium: The Company Manager And Affiliation To A Social Insurance Fund For Self-Employed Persons

Belgian employment law has no specific rules applicable to company managers.  As the Brussels Labour Court stated in a judgment issued on 19 April 2007, “Belgian employment law is characterised by a binary distinction between employees and self-employed persons”. Although no definition is provided for by law, a company manager can be considered any person entrusted with the power to manage and represent a company. Hence, the company manager is a person to whom […]

By | January 3rd, 2014 ||

California Employers: What You Need To Know For 2014

All employers with operations in California should be aware of the following new legislation, which, unless otherwise noted, goes into effect in California on January 1, 2014:
Wage and Hour Laws and Penalties
Minimum wage increase. AB 10 raises the state-wide minimum wage from the current $8 per hour to $9 per hour, effective July 1, 2014, and then to $10 per hour, effective January 1, 2016. Employers should note that employees currently classified as exempt must […]

By | January 2nd, 2014 ||