Reference Center: Topics

The Reference Center is designed to simplify the complexity of employment law across various topics.

In addition to Comprehensive Guidance, state-specific comprehensive guides that follow the employment cycle and track requirements from pre-hire, time of hire, employment, and through the end of employment, the Reference Center includes Reports that answer the following questions:

*COMING SOON!*  Documentation: End of Employment:

  • Is the employer required to provide some form of written notice of termination or service letter?
  • What COBRA or mini-COBRA continuation of coverage notices and miscellaneous benefits-related information must be provided when employment ends?
  • What are the unemployment notice requirements employers must provide?
  • What are the notice requirements when employment of a multistate worker ends?

Documentation: Time of Hire:

  • What tax information are employees required to provide?
  • What wage and hour information are employers required to provide?
  • What benefits and leave information are employers required to provide?
  • What fair employment practices information are employers required to provide?
  • What additional information must be provided at the time of hiring?

Final Pay

  • When must an employer pay final wages to an employee who was discharged?
  • When must an employer pay final wages to an employee who resigned?
  • What is the definition of wages?
  • Can an employer require forfeiture of voluntary accrued vacation, sick pay, or similar paid time off, and if not, is payout required when employment ends?
  • Are there special provisions regarding payment of final wages?

Holidays

  • Is an employer required to provide employees with a day of rest?
  • Can an employer require employees to work on holidays?
  • Is an employer required to provide premium pay when an employee works on a day of rest or holiday?

Leave (FMLA)

  • What employers are covered by family or medical leave requirements?
  • Which employees are eligible for family or medical leave?
  • What are permissible reasons for family or medical leave?
  • How much time can an employee take for family or medical leave?
  • Can employees take family or medical leave on a reduced schedule or intermittent basis?
  • What notice must an employer provide employees about their rights under family or medical leave?
  • Is an employer required to reinstate an employee to the same or similar position following family or medical leave?
  • What benefits and compensation must an employer provide an employee during family or medical leave?
  • What does the law say about discrimination, interference, or retaliation?
  • What notice is an employee required to give prior to taking family or medical leave?
  • Can an employer require an employee to provide certification regarding the need for family or medical leave?
  • Can the employee elect, or can the employer require the employee, to substitute the employee’s accrued paid time off for a part of the family or medical leave?
  • Can an employer require an employee to provide a release or return to work certification prior to resuming work following family or medical leave?

Meal and Rest

  • Are meal periods required?
  • If a meal period is given, does the meal period need to be paid?
  • Can the employer require that a meal period be taken on the premises?
  • Are rest breaks required?
  • If a rest break is given, does the rest break need to be paid?
  • Can the employer require that a rest break be taken on the premises?
  • Can meal periods or rest breaks be waived?
  • What exceptions or special provisions exist for meal periods or rest breaks?

Minimum Wage

  • What is the minimum wage?
  • Are tip credits permitted?

New Hire Reporting: 

  • Which employees need to be included in new hire reporting?
  • What information must be included on new hire reporting?
  • How soon does new hire reporting need to be completed?
  • What new hire form must be completed and how should it be submitted?
  • Where should new hire information be submitted?

On-Call

  • Is an employer required to pay an employee for on-call time?

Paid Sick Leave

  • What employers are covered by paid sick leave requirements?
  • What employees are covered for paid sick leave?
  • Which relations are covered under paid sick leave?
  • When can paid sick leave be used?
  • Can paid sick leave be used incrementally?
  • What paid sick leave uses are covered by regulations?
  • What paid sick leave uses are covered by regulations?
  • What documentation or verification is required for paid sick leave?
  • When does accrual of paid sick time begin?
  • What accrual, carry over, and use regulations apply to paid sick leave?
  • What is the definition of year in regards to paid sick leave?
  • Can employers comply with the law by frontloading paid sick time?
  • Can vacation and/or PTO be used to comply with paid sick leave law?
  • How should sick leave be paid?
  • What are the required paid sick leave notices and postings?
  • How should paid sick time and earnings be recorded on wage statements?
  • What are the paid sick policy and handbook requirements?
  • What agency enforces paid sick leave compliance?
  • Is payout of accrued paid sick time required at the end of employment?

Pay Frequency

  • How frequently must an employee be paid?
  • When must an employee be paid?
  • Are there any exceptions or special provisions regarding pay frequency?

Predictive Scheduling

  • What employers are covered by predictive scheduling requirements?
  • What employees are covered by predictive scheduling requirements?
  • Can predictive scheduling requirements be waived?
  • Are employers required to provide new employees with estimated hours or an estimated schedule?
  • How far in advance must employers provide employees with a work schedule?
  • What are the notice and compensation requirements when a change in scheduling occurs?
  • Can employees request a flexible working arrangement or input into their schedule?
  • What are the predictive scheduling requirements for on-call shifts?
  • What is the required minimum time between shifts?
  • Are employers required to offer additional work to their current employees before hiring additional workers?
  • How must notice of law be provided to employees?
  • How should notice be posted?
  • What records are employers required to maintain?
  • What additional requirements apply?
  • What agency enforces predictive scheduling compliance?

Posters

  • Where can the general poster website(s) be found?
  • What posters are generally applicable for all employers?
  • What posters are required for specific employers?

Rate Change

  • Is an employer required to give an employee notice of a change in pay?
  • Is an employer required to give an employee notice of a change to the time or place of payment?
  • What additional information is there regarding changes in pay rate or payday?

Travel Time

  • Is an employer required to pay an employee for normal commuting time?
  • Is an employer required to pay an employee for time spent traveling between work sites?
  • Is an employer required to pay an employee for time spent traveling to another city for a one-day assignment?
  • How is an employer required to pay an employee assigned to travel that requires an overnight stay away from home?
  • Is an employer required to pay an employee for time spent traveling for emergency assignments?
  • Is an employer required to pay an employee for time spent performing work while traveling?
  • Are there additional requirements concerning travel time?

Voting Time

  • Are employers required to grant voting leave to employees?
  • How much voting time must an employee be given?
  • Is an employer required to pay an employee for time off to vote?
  • Are there voting time notice requirements for employers or employees?