Are there questions or topics we should avoid during the hiring process? How can we be sure we don’t accidentally get into one of those topics?

Answered by the HR Experts You should avoid asking questions that could be viewed as discriminatory or that infringe on a candidate’s privacy. Essentially, you want to avoid any questions that are not directly related to the candidate’s ability to perform the job....

Do we need to pay summer interns?

Answered by the HR Experts Generally, yes, though it depends on who benefits most from their work. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has adopted the “primary beneficiary test” to determine whether a worker is an employee (who must be paid in accordance...

Does the National Labor Relations Act apply to my business if we don’t have a union?

Answered by the HR Experts It does! Congress enacted the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in 1935 to protect the rights of employees and employers, to encourage collective bargaining, and to limit certain labor and management practices that can harm the general...

Maine Law Alert: Maine Veterans’ Benefits and Services Poster Now Available

In June of 2023, Maine passed a law requiring that employers with more than 50 full-time equivalent employees display a yet-to-be-created poster about veterans’ benefits and services. Well, the time has come—it’s been created! This poster needs to be displayed in a...

What are whistleblower protections?

Whistleblowing occurs when an employee reports wrongdoing (dangerous, illegal, or unethical activity or practices by the company or its employees) either directly to the employer or to an outside authority. Many laws, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act,...

Law Alert: Annual OSHA Form 300A Posting

Annual OSHA Form 300A Posting Begins February 1, Expanded Electronic Reporting Due March 2 Form 300A Workplace Posting Begins February 1 Covered employers that had 11 or more employees at any point in 2023 are required to post Occupational Safety and Health...