Tag Archives: Federal Employment Law

Small Employers May Have it Easier

Personnel Policies

            I’ve been dispensing legal advice to employers for 21 years now. In all that time, I can thankfully say I’ve never been sued by an employee. I’ve never faced a gender discrimination claim, a disability problem or a termination under the Family and Medical Leave Act directed at me. No employee has ever accused me of racial harassment or complained to the EEOC about my employment practices.

            Is that because I diligently follow my own advice? Do I have the world’s greatest employee manual, does every employee get an annual written evaluation and do I use progressive discipline to give every employee an opportunity to cure a problem before it becomes a termination?

            Actually, I don’t. Why? I keep my business small. I only have one employee right now. Sometimes I bulk up to as many as three employees, but never have I needed more than that.

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Hiring Teen Workers

Employee Rights, Hiring

Summer is coming and you may be thinking about hiring some teen workers under the age of 18. Here’s some lawyerly advice: Proceed with Caution.

 

There are lots of legal restrictions on hiring teens, which are still considered “child labor” by the Department of Labor. You need to review the basic rules on the Department of Labor website, www.dol.gov, such the limitations on the hours that 14- and 15-year-olds can work:

  • Non-school hours;
  • 3 hours in a school day;
  • 18 hours in a school week;
  • 8 hours on a non-school day;
  • 40 hours on a non-school week; and
  • hours between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (except from June 1 through Labor Day, when the evening hours are extended to 9 p.m.)

If you are hiring a 16- or 17- year old, there are no limits on the hours that he can work. However, there are limits on the duties anyone under 18 can perform. He generally cannot work in any occupation considered hazardous, including construction jobs, warehousing jobs, public messenger jobs or jobs that require the use of power-driven machines, such as meat slicers, bakery equipment, power saws, etc.

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