In This Issue:

- Hurricane Irene Leaves Wage/Hour Questions In Her Wake By John Thompson (Atlanta)

Affected employers will no doubt have a variety of wage-hour questions in the aftermath of any major disaster, such as Hurricane Irene. The number and scope of the issues raised might well be practically endless. In this article, we’ll address in very general ways the federal Fair Labor Standards Act topics that experience suggests will be among the most pressing....

- Managing Workers’ Compensation Costs By James R. Holland, II (Kansas City)

When the workers’ compensation system was first instituted, it was devised as a cost-saving mechanism. Job safety was deteriorating, leading to an increase in accidents and injuries. Employers increasingly found themselves in court defending civil suits for work-related injuries. The workers’ compensation system was seen as a way out of the problem. Today, the system is a monster, with employers spending tens of billions of dollars each year to insure their work-injury risk...

- That Little Smart Phone Might Cause a Big Wage and Hour Headache By David Monks (San Diego)

A smart phone is now as much a piece of your office life as a desk, laptop or employee handbook. Anyone can use their BlackBerry or iPhone to stay current on news and events, update social media status and check their email from any location with a signal...

- Employers Can Discriminate! By Grace Y. Horoupian and Matthew C. Sgnilek (Irvine)

For some employees who can’t figure out why they are not getting that promotion, the answer could be as simple as looking in the mirror. Grooming and personal appearance are playing an ever-increasing role in workplace raise and promotion decisions. A recent CareerBuilder.com survey listed the following as the top reasons that would make an employer less likely to offer an employee a promotion...