• Colorado
    SHRM买了EPLI保险,为什么1000万美元可能还得自己赔? 很多企业买商业保险时都会有一个很自然的想法:既然已经买了保险,真出了事情,保险公司应该负责赔。但最近 SHRM 的一场官司,给所有企业上了一堂非常现实的保险课:买了保险,不等于所有损失都会赔;保额有1000万美元,也不等于这1000万美元一定拿得到。 更值得关注的是,这次陷入争议的并不是一家普通公司,而是全球最知名的人力资源专业组织之一 SHRM。作为长期研究劳动关系、人力资源管理和企业合规的专业机构,SHRM 自己卷入如此巨额的员工歧视诉讼,而且最终又和自己的保险公司打起了官司,这个案例对于企业老板、人力资源负责人以及负责企业风险管理的人来说,都非常有参考价值。 事情要从一名被解雇的员工说起 这起案件最早是一场员工与雇主之间的劳动争议。SHRM 的一名前员工 Rehab Mohamed 认为,自己在工作期间遭遇了种族歧视,并且在提出相关投诉以后遭到了公司的报复,最终被解雇。双方随后对簿公堂。 2025年12月,科罗拉多州联邦陪审团作出了一个非常重的判决:员工获得总计1150万美元赔偿,其中150万美元属于补偿性赔偿,另外高达1000万美元属于惩罚性赔偿。 这两个数字看起来只是赔偿金额不同,但在法律和保险层面,性质完全不一样。补偿性赔偿解决的是“企业的行为给员工造成了多少实际损失”,而惩罚性赔偿解决的是“企业的行为是否严重到需要额外处罚”。 也就是说,1000万美元不是简单地补偿员工损失,而是陪审团认为相关行为的性质严重,需要通过额外的大额赔偿起到惩罚和震慑作用。SHRM 目前仍然在对原判决进行上诉,因此1150万美元的最终结果还没有完全尘埃落定。 但接下来发生的事情,才真正值得所有企业关注。 SHRM其实买了专门针对员工诉讼的保险 SHRM 并不是没有保险。它购买了专门针对企业用工风险的雇佣行为责任保险。 对于美国企业来说,这是一类非常重要的商业保险。员工如果因为歧视、骚扰、不当解雇、报复等问题起诉企业,在符合保单条件的情况下,保险可能帮助企业承担律师费用、诉讼抗辩费用、和解金额以及部分赔偿。 因此很多企业看到这里可能会产生一个很自然的判断:既然 SHRM 已经买了这种保险,而且员工起诉的恰恰又是歧视和报复问题,那么保险公司赔不就行了吗? 问题恰恰出在这里。 负责承保的双城火险公司认为,150万美元的补偿性赔偿和1000万美元的惩罚性赔偿不能简单地放在一起处理。于是,保险公司反过来把 SHRM 告上了法庭,请求法院确认,自己不需要承担这1000万美元的惩罚性赔偿。 这意味着,原本的一场劳动争议,现在实际上已经演变成了两场完全不同的官司。 第一场官司解决的是:SHRM 是否对员工实施了歧视和报复,以及应该承担多少责任。 第二场官司解决的是:即使 SHRM 最终需要支付这些钱,到底应该由 SHRM 自己承担,还是由保险公司承担。 很多企业恰恰容易把这两个问题混在一起。 保险公司为什么认为1000万美元不应该由自己赔? 保险公司的理由其实并不复杂。SHRM 总部位于弗吉尼亚州,而相关保单涉及的法律适用问题,使弗吉尼亚州关于惩罚性赔偿保险的规定成为这场争议的核心之一。 弗吉尼亚州法律允许企业为由于疏忽,甚至某些严重疏忽导致的惩罚性赔偿购买保险,但对故意行为设置了明确限制。 这就产生了这起案件最核心的矛盾。 保险公司认为,原来的陪审团并不是简单认定 SHRM “管理出现失误”或者“工作做得不够好”,而是认定相关行为涉及故意歧视或者报复。既然属于故意行为,那么保险公司认为,这类惩罚本身就不应该通过保险完全转嫁出去。 这里背后的逻辑其实非常容易理解。假设一家企业明明知道自己的行为违法,却仍然故意这么做,法院最后为了惩罚企业判了1000万美元,但所有钱都由保险公司支付,那么原本用来惩罚企业的制度设计就可能失去意义。 这也是为什么惩罚性赔偿在美国保险领域一直是非常特殊的一类风险。不同州的法律规定并不完全相同,而且即使保单写了相关保障,最终能不能赔,也可能受到具体行为性质和适用法律的影响。 当然,SHRM 并不同意保险公司的观点。SHRM 表示,保险公司此前已经以书面形式确认接受相关保险责任,因此认为自己的保单应该提供保障,并要求保险公司履行合同义务。 所以目前不能简单地下结论说保险公司一定不用赔。这场新的保险诉讼仍然在进行中。 这件事真正值得企业学习的,不是1150万美元这个数字 如果只是把这件事理解成“SHRM 被员工告了1150万美元”,其实会错过这个案例最有价值的部分。 它真正提醒企业的是:保险不是出了事情以后才拿出来看的东西。 很多公司购买商业保险的时候,最关心的往往是几个最简单的问题:一年保费多少钱?保额是多少?能不能马上出保险证明给客户或者房东? 这些问题当然重要,但它们只是商业保险最表面的一层。 真正决定一家企业出了事情以后保险有没有用的,往往是保单里面那些平时很少有人认真看的内容。例如哪些行为属于保障范围,哪些行为明确排除,律师费用是否包含在总保额里面,和解是否需要经过保险公司同意,惩罚性赔偿是否保障,不同州法律发生冲突时按照哪个州处理,企业什么时候必须通知保险公司,以及公司的老板、董事、高管和普通员工分别是不是被保险人。 在没有事故的时候,这些问题看起来都不重要。但当索赔金额从几万美元变成几百万甚至上千万美元时,每一个定义、每一个除外责任、甚至一句法律适用条款,都可能决定最终由谁买单。 企业最危险的一句话,就是“我们有保险” NACSHR认为,这起案件给企业管理者和人力资源负责人最大的提醒,其实可以浓缩成一句话:不要只问“我们有没有保险”,而应该问“如果真的发生这个风险,我们现在这份保险到底怎么赔”。 这两个问题听起来非常接近,但本质完全不同。 尤其是在美国经营企业,用工本身就是企业最复杂的风险来源之一。招聘、解雇、绩效管理、员工投诉、性骚扰、歧视、报复、工资工时、管理者行为,每一个环节背后都可能同时存在人力资源风险、法律风险和保险风险。 真正成熟的企业风险管理,至少应该建立三道防线。 第一道防线是人力资源管理。企业有没有清晰的制度,管理者是否接受过培训,员工投诉有没有正式渠道,内部调查有没有完整记录,绩效管理和解雇有没有事实依据,这些都是最基础的风险控制。 第二道防线是法律和合规。当员工关系开始恶化,投诉出现升级迹象,或者企业准备进行高风险解雇时,应该及时判断法律风险,而不是等到正式收到律师函以后才开始处理。 第三道防线才是保险。保险的作用,是帮助企业把那些无法完全避免的风险进行财务转移,而不是替代企业的人力资源管理和合规体系。 这个顺序不能反过来。 为什么 NACSHR 要从人力资源视角重新理解企业保险 很多企业购买保险时,保险和人力资源是完全分开的。保险经纪人主要关心员工人数、营业收入、办公地址、业务类型和保额;人力资源负责人则负责招聘、绩效、员工关系和劳动争议。 但现实中的企业风险根本不是这样分开的。 一个员工被解雇的时候,看起来是人力资源问题;员工提出歧视或者报复投诉以后,它开始变成法律问题;员工正式起诉以后,企业需要支付律师费和潜在赔偿,它又变成保险问题;如果保险公司最后认为某些损失不属于保障范围,那么它最终又会回到企业老板和公司资产负债表上。 实际上,这是一条完整的风险链:人力资源管理 → 劳动争议 → 法律责任 → 保险理赔 → 企业财务损失。 这也是 NACSHR 推动企业保险服务时非常重要的一个出发点。 我们希望帮助企业,特别是在北美经营和发展的华人企业,不只是完成“买保险”这一步,而是从企业真实业务、员工结构、管理方式和用工风险出发,判断企业究竟面临什么风险,再决定应该配置什么样的保险。 对于企业来说,真正应该关注的也不只是保费便宜几十美元或者几百美元,而是保险方案是否真正覆盖自己的核心风险。例如企业有没有雇佣行为责任保险,高管和管理人员的行为是否在保障范围内,员工投诉和解雇风险有没有对应保障,律师抗辩费用如何计算,以及一旦出现重大劳动争议,企业自己最终可能承担多少风险。 真正好的保险,不是一张便宜的保单,而是一套能在关键时刻发挥作用的风险方案。 SHRM 这场1000万美元的保险争议还远远没有结束,但它已经提前给所有企业上了一堂非常昂贵的风险管理课。 一家企业真正需要的,不只是知道“我有保险”,而是要清楚:什么可以赔,什么不能赔,为什么不能赔,以及那些保险无法承担的风险,企业应该如何提前管理。 这也是 NACSHR 企业保险服务希望解决的问题。 从企业实际经营和人力资源风险出发,帮助企业理解风险、选择合适的保险、读懂关键保障和除外责任,让保险真正成为企业经营的一道安全网,而不是一份只有出事以后才打开的文件。 因为保险真正的价值,从来不是保单放进文件夹的那一天,而是在企业遇到最坏情况的时候,它到底还能不能站在企业这一边。  
    Colorado
    2026年08月14日
  • Colorado
    美国各州最低工资(2024 年) 总结 25个州将在2024年提高最低工资。华盛顿特区将于今年7月提高最低工资。 加州最近宣布从2024年1月开始将最低工资从15.50美元提高到16美元。——更多 自2009年以来,联邦最低工资率一直保持在7.25美元,但30个州以及华盛顿特区、关岛和维尔京群岛的最低工资标准更高。 在最低工资率方面,美国的雇主受到不同法律的约束,具体取决于他们所在的州甚至城市。联邦最低工资率是由《公平劳动标准法》(FLSA)设定并由美国劳工部(DOL)执行的固定国家工资标准。 联邦最低工资最后一次修订是在2009年,目前设定为每小时7.25美元。拜登总统一直在推动这一数字的增长到15美元,并在 2022 年将联邦承包商的最低工资提高到了15 美元——这可能是全国范围内提高工资的前兆。 为了应对联邦层的惰性,美国超过一半的州和城市已主动在2023年在其管辖范围内制定更高的最低工资标准。在这样的情况下,法律倾向于对雇员最有利的工资——换句话说,最高的最低工资。 最低工资率较高的州包括华盛顿州15.74美元和哥伦比亚特区16.50美元。最低工资率高于各州的城市包括纽约市(比纽约州高出15美元至0.80美元)和缅因州波特兰(14美元,比该州其他地区高出0.20美元)。 作为雇主,及时了解有关最低工资增加或减少的所有法律法规非常重要。使用正确的时间跟踪和薪资软件可确保您毫不费力地保持合规。 白皮书:工资和工时合规完整指南 2023年州最低工资率 自1月1日起,25 个州提高了最低工资标准,以应对通货膨胀或根据先前颁布的立法。佛罗里达州将于9月提高最低工资标准。 总体而言,30个州以及华盛顿特区、波多黎各、关岛和维尔京群岛的最低工资高于联邦工资。15个州以及北马里亚纳群岛使用每小时7.25美元的联邦最低工资。五个州尚未通过自己的最低工资标准法,因此默认为7.25美元的联邦费率。 在下表中查看所有州的最低工资。 注:2023年提高最低工资的州用星号(*)表示 目前,哥伦比亚特区的最低工资最高,每小时16.50美元(从2024年7月1日起为17.50美元)。 州法律将某些工作或部门从最低工资劳动法中豁免。例如,在新泽西州,这种豁免包括机动车辆的销售人员和在雇主家中照顾儿童的雇员。 在某些情况下,各州为未成年人和学生等群体设定了低于最低工资的工资,或者为新员工设定了培训工资。在罗德岛州,为非营利性宗教、教育、图书馆或社区服务组织工作的19岁以下全日制学生有权获得11.70美元的最低工资。该州的最低工资标准为14.00美元。 纽约的最低工资 2024年初,纽约将最低工资14.20美元提高到16美元。这是继2016年12月31日开始的一系列提高该州最低工资结束后的首次增长。 根据 NY.gov 网站的说法,在对影响进行年度审查之后,像今年年初那样的未来增长将“基于将要设定的指数化时间表[...]。 这些逐渐增加,并且对于在不同行业工作的员工会有所不同。大雇主必须比雇员较少的小雇主更快地提高最低工资。 在地方层面,纽约市、长岛和威彻斯特乡村的最低工资为每小时16美元。这包括给小费的工人,尽管雇主可以每小时从工资中扣除最多5美元作为小费补偿。尽管有这些增长,但纽约目前的最低工资并没有考虑到目前的通货膨胀率以及这如何影响工人的生活水平。这种惰性一直是学术界和最低工资工人批评的主题。 加州的最低工资 加利福尼亚州的最低工资目前为16美元,比联邦最低工资高 8.75 美元。 根据《加州劳动法》第1182.12条,加州财政总监有权每年决定是否需要提高最低工资。2024年增加0.50美元被认为是必要的,因为 CPI 在 2022 年 7 月至 2023 年 6 月期间增长了 6% 以上。 由于快餐业的一些开创性的州立法,在全国拥有至少60家分店的快餐店必须遵守每小时20美元的新最低工资。该法案还在该州建立了一个快餐委员会,该委员会有权提高最低工资。 在某些情况下,膳食或住宿可用于履行部分最低工资义务。这只有在雇主和雇员同意并辅以自愿书面协议的情况下才能进行。根据在官方通知找到的信息,记入员工最低工资的金额也受到限制。 伊利诺伊州的最低工资 2024年1月1日,伊利诺伊州的最低工资从13美元增加到14美元,增加了1美元。这是自2019年以来的第六次增长,使伊利诺伊州有望在2025年达到15美元的最低工资。 经常赚取小费的伊利诺伊州工人的最低工资增加到每小时8.40美元,并且在收到小费后仍必须赚取最低工资。如果他们不这样做,雇主必须支付差额。 芝加哥的工资率更高,目前拥有21名及以上雇员的雇主,雇主每人最低支付薪资为每小时15.80美元。拥有 4 至 20 名工人的小型雇主必须支付每小时15 美元的最低工资。 芝加哥小费工人的最低工资为每小时 9 美元(拥有 4 至 20 名工人的雇主)和 9.48 美元(拥有 21 名或更多员工的雇主)。与州最低工资条件类似,如果小费工人的工资加上小费小于全额最低工资,雇主必须为小费工人支付差额。 佛罗里达州的最低工资 自2023年7月起,佛罗里达州的最低工资为每小时12美元。每年逐步增加1美元,2026年9月的最低工资率将达到15美元。 德克萨斯州的最低工资 德克萨斯州的州最低工资为7.25美元,等于联邦费率。自 2009年1月24日起生效。 雇主可以将小费、膳食和住宿计入最低工资,但对可以分配给他们的金额有明确的限制。在某些情况下,雇主可以向德克萨斯州心理健康和智力迟钝部的患者支付低于最低工资的薪资。这也可能包括年龄较大或有“生产力障碍”的个人。 《德克萨斯州最低工资法》涵盖的其他豁免包括: 受雇于宗教、教育、慈善或非营利组织 某些专业人士、销售人员或公职人员 家政工人 某些青少年和学生 囚犯 家人 某些游乐和娱乐场所 不负责向国家失业补偿基金供款的非农业雇主 乳制品生产和畜牧业生产 庇护车间 内华达州的最低工资 如表中所述,您会看到内华达州有两个最低工资率。在这个两级系统中,获得合格健康保险的员工的最低工资率为10.25美元。但是,如果他们没有获得合格的健康保险,最低工资率将高出1美元,为每小时11.25 美元。 这种长期存在的两级系统将于明年取消。自2024年7月1日起,内华达州将全面将所有雇主的最低工资率提高到12.00美元,无论他们是否提供健康保险。 雇主须遵守最低工资法 由于影响不同州甚至这些州内不同城市的差异和豁免如此之多,雇主要遵守法律可能很棘手。 根据Workforce.com的首席战略官Josh Cameron的说法,工人赚取小费的行业可能尤其棘手: “在酒店或任何赚取小费的地方,您可以向员工支付比正常工资低得多的最低工资。因此,如果他们没有给小费,那么最低工资就是每小时7.50美元,但如果给小费,则为2. 50美元。只要他们得到足够的小费来克服这一点——这被称为小费抵免——那么他们就只能从雇主那里获得每小时2.50美元的较低费用。” 除了法律影响和巨额罚款外,员工工资过低也可能是您企业的公关噩梦。Workforce.com的产品合规主管Andrew Stirling认为: “少付的丑闻可能会让公司陷入困境。客户可以决定将他们的消费转移到其他地方。顾客不太可能去那些为少付员工工资的餐馆或商店。” 像 Workforce.com 这样的劳动力管理软件会考虑州和地方法律。Workforce 的劳工合规软件允许您根据联邦、州和地区的工资法向员工支付工资。这包括豁免和特殊情况,包括给小费的员工。 随着法律的变化,该系统会保持最新状态,并且还会定期进行审核,以确保您保持合规并避免不必要的处罚。 Source workforce
    Colorado
    2024年02月03日
  • Colorado
    Rest and Lunch Break Laws in Every US State (2024) Employee meal and rest break rights depend on their own laws according to their state. Meal, rest and minor breaks are detailed below for states of Alabama, Alaska, California…. Summary Federal law does not require meal or rest breaks. – More Some states have laws requiring meal and rest breaks – failing to comply can result in severe fines and even lawsuits.  Employers can reduce their risk exposure by automatically scheduling meal breaks and recording them on timesheets with the right software.  – More When it comes to rest and lunch breaks, it’s easy for managers to assume that a few minutes here and there won’t make a difference. However, this is simply not the case. We’ve seen break-rule violations result in costly lawsuits over the past several years. In April of 2022, an Oregon healthcare facility filed a lawsuit with the federal court system to overturn the state’s detailed meal and rest break rules. It’s an attempt to get out of nearly $100 million in fines due to persistent violations of employee meal and rest break rights dating all the way back to 2015. What’s confusing is that if this healthcare facility was in a different state, say Arkansas, these violations and fines would not exist. Federal guidance on the subject of lunch breaks is slim to none – but state laws concerning paid and unpaid breaks vary. It’s important to understand what state-specific rules do and do not apply to your business. While these rules can be convoluted, it is actually quite easy to comply these days with the right scheduling software in place. Federal break laws No federal law requires companies to offer breaks during work hours for meals or any other purpose. However, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, federal law says that if a company chooses to allow break periods, any break under 20 minutes should be paid, and any over 30 minutes can be unpaid and classified as “off-the-clock.” So, in essence, the federal government leaves it up to the employer. Rest breaks (under 20 minutes) are paid, and meal breaks (over 30 minutes) are unpaid. If a state has no laws regarding breaks, these federal standards automatically apply. State break laws It is up to the states to choose their own lunch and rest break laws. Some states default to the federal policy, while others have their own set of specific regulations to follow. All meal and rest break laws only apply to non-exempt employees. For exempt employees receiving over $23,000 annually, breaks are at the employer’s discretion. Find your state below and click on it to see its rest and lunch break rules: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Alabama Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break:14-15-year-old employees who work more than 5 continuous hours get a 30-minute break. Alabama defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 16+. If an employer chooses to provide a break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Alaska Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: Minors ages 14-17 who work 5+ consecutive hours get a 30-minute break. Alaska defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Arizona Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Arizona defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Arkansas Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Arkansas defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers of all ages. If an employer chooses to provide a break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than this do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. The state does have a special lactation break law. Employers must provide reasonable unpaid break time to employees who are lactating. These breaks must be taken in a private place close to their work area (not a bathroom stall). Back to top California Meal Break: Employees get a 30-minute paid meal break during a shift that is longer than five consecutive hours. If the employee is relieved of regular work duties and can leave the premises during their break, the break goes unpaid. But if these requirements are not met, the break must be paid at the regular rate of pay. An employee may also waive their lunch break upon mutual consent with management if a workday will be completed in six hours or fewer. If a work shift is longer than 10 hours, a second 30-minute rest break must be provided. If a total of 12 hours or fewer are worked in a day, this second meal break may be waived, but only if the first meal period was not waived. Employees who work longer than 15 hours get an additional third 30-minute break. If they work longer than 20 hours, they get a fourth 30-minute break. If an employer fails to provide an employee a meal break during a shift, they owe the employee one extra hour of pay at the employee’s regular rate. Rest Break: Employees get a 10-minute paid rest break every 4 hours. A 10-minute break is not required for work time totaling less than three and a half hours. Employees working in extreme weather conditions must also be provided with a five-minute “recovery period” in a protected environment in addition to their meal and rest break. For every day an employee is forced to work through one or more of their rest breaks, their employer must pay them one additional hour of wages at the regular rate. Minor Break: N/A Back to top Colorado Meal Break:30minutes for employees who work 5+ hours. If the break is “duty-free” it goes unpaid. However, if a “duty-free” meal is not possible, the employee may take an “on-duty” meal, in which case the employee must be paid. Rest Break:10minutes paid per 4 hours worked only for employees in the retail, food and beverage, commercial support, health, and medical industries. Minor Break: N/A Back to top Connecticut Meal Break: 30 minutes for non-exempt employees who work at least 7.5 hours. Employers are exempt from this requirement only if: Complying endangers public safety The duties of the position can only be done by one employee Fewer than five employees are working a shift in a particular location Operations require employees to be available to respond to urgent conditions Rest Break: None Minor Break: N/A Back to top Delaware Meal Break: Unpaid 30 minutes for employees 18+ who work at least 7.5 hours. Meal breaks must be given sometime after the first two hours of work and before the last two hours of work. Employers are exempt from this requirement only if: Complying endangers public safety The duties of the position can only be done by one employee Fewer than five employees are working a shift in a particular location Operations require employees to be available to respond to urgent conditions There exists a collective bargaining agreement that provides otherwise The employee is employed by a local school board to work directly with children Rest Break: None Minor Break: 30 minutes for employees under 18 for every 5 consecutive hours of work. Back to top Florida Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: 30 minutes for employees under 18 who work more than 4 hours. Florida defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Georgia Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Georgia defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Hawaii Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: 30 minutes for 14 and 15-year-old employees who work five consecutive hours Hawaii defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 16 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Idaho Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Hawaii defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Illinois Meal Break: At least 20 minutes unpaid for employees who work 7.5+ continuous hours. Must be given no later than five hours after beginning work. Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for employees under 16 who work 5+ hours. Back to top Indiana Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break:1-2 breaks totaling 30 minutes for employees under 18 who work at least six consecutive hours. Indiana defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18+. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Iowa Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for employees under the age of 16 who work 5+ consecutive hours. Iowa defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 16 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Kansas Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Kansas defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Kentucky Meal Break: Reasonable unpaid break period (typically 20-30 minutes long) after the third and before the fifth hour of work for employees who work 5+ consecutive hours. Rest Break: 10 minutes after every 4 hours of work. Minor Break: N/A Back to top Louisiana Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes unpaid for employees under 18 who work five consecutive hours Louisiana defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Maine Meal Break: None Rest Break: At least 30 minutes unpaid for all employees who work 6+ hours, but only if there are three or more people on duty. Minor Break: N/A Back to top Maryland Meal Break: None for the majority of employees. However, under the Healthy Retail Employee Act, retail organizations with 50+ staff operating for 20+ calendar weeks must give employees a 30-minute meal break if they work a shift that is longer than six hours. Rest Break: Under the Healthy Retail Employee Act, certain retail employees are entitled to 15-minute breaks when they work shifts that last 4-6 hours. Employees who work for 8+ hours receive an additional 15-minute break for every additional four hours worked. Minor Break: 30 minutes for employees under 18 for every five consecutive hours of work. Back to top Massachusetts Meal Break: 30 minutes unpaid for employees who work 6+ hours, excluding those in factory and mechanical establishments. Rest Break: None Minor Break: N/A Back to top Michigan Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for employees under 18 if they work more than 5 consecutive hours. Michigan defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Minnesota Meal Break: Sufficient unpaid time to eat a meal for employees who work 8+ hours. Must be paid if less than 20 minutes. Rest Break: Sufficient time to use the restroom every 4 hours. Minor Break: N/A Back to top Mississippi Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Mississippi defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Missouri Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Missouri defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Montana Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Montana defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Nebraska Meal Break: None Rest Break: At least 30 minutes per 8-hour shift for assembling plant, workshop, or mechanical establishment employees. Minor Break: None Back to top Nevada Meal Break: At least 30 minutes for employees working 8+ continuous hours. Rest Break: At least 10 minutes paid every 4 hours. This break is not typically required if an employee’s total work time is less than three and a half hours. Minor Break: N/A Back to top New Hampshire Meal Break: 30 minutes for employees who work 5+ consecutive hours. Rest Break: None Minor Break: N/A Back to top New Jersey Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for employees under 18 who work 5+ hours. New Jersey defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top New Mexico Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None New Mexico defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top New York Meal Break:30minutes for employees who work 6+ hours between 11 am and 2 pm. 45 minutes for employees midway through a 6+ hour shift that starts between 1 pm and 6 am. An additional 20 minutes between 5 pm and 7 pm for those working a shift starting before 11 am and continuing after 7 pm. Different rules apply to factory workers. They get a 1-hour lunch period anywhere between 11 am and 2 pm for 6+ hour shifts or a 60-minute break midway through a shift of more than 6 hours that starts between 1 pm and 6 am. Rest Break: 24 consecutive hours per week Minor Break: N/A Back to top North Carolina Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for employees under 16 who work 5+ hour shifts. North Carolina defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 16+. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top North Dakota Meal Break: 30 minutes unpaid for employees who work 5+ hours when two or more employees are on duty. Rest Break: None Minor Break: N/A Back to top Ohio Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes unpaid for employees under 18 working five consecutive hours or more. Ohio defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18+. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Oklahoma Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for every 5 hours worked and 1 hour for every 8 hours worked for employees under 16. Oklahoma defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 16 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Oregon Meal Break: At least 30 minutes, unpaid, uninterrupted, and relieved of all duties, must be provided per 6 hours worked. No meal break is required for shifts under 6 hours. 6-14 hours: 1 break 14-22 hours: 2 breaks 22-24 hours: 3 breaks Rest Break: 10 minutes paid based on hours worked. 2-6 hours: 1 break 6-10 hours: 2 breaks 10-14 hours: 3 breaks 14-18 hours: 4 breaks 18-22 hours: 5 breaks 22-24 hours: 6 breaks Minor Break: Workers under 18 receive the same meal breaks as adults; however, it is required that they get 15-minute rest breaks rather than 10-minute breaks. Back to top Pennsylvania Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: 30 minutes per 5 hours for workers under 18 years of age. Pennsylvania defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Rhode Island Meal Break: 20 minutes for employees who work 6 hours and 30 minutes for employees who work 8+ hours. The break may be unpaid if the employee is relieved of all duties. Rest Break: None Minor Break: N/A Back to top South Carolina Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None South Carolina defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top South Dakota Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None South Dakota defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Tennessee Meal Break: At least 30 minutes for employees who work 6+ hours Rest Break: None Minor Break: N/A Back to top Texas Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Texas defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Utah Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for lunch no later than 5 hours into the workday for employees under 18. They must also be given a 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked and cannot work 3+ consecutive hours without a 10-minute break. Utah defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Vermont Meal Break: Employees must have a “reasonable opportunity” to eat and use the restroom. This opportunity must be paid if it is less than 20 minutes. Rest Break: None Minor Break: N/A Vermont has a special lactation break law requiring employers to provide reasonable break time throughout the day to employees who are lactating. It is left to the employer’s discretion whether these breaks are paid or unpaid unless denoted by a collective bargaining agreement. Back to top Virginia Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes for employees under 16 who work 5+ consecutive hours. Virginia defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 16 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Washington Meal Break:30minutes for every 5 consecutive hours worked, given not less than 2 hours nor more than 5 hours from the beginning of a shift (excludes agricultural employees). 30 additional minutes for employees who work at least 3 hours past the time they normally end their shift. Unpaid if the employee is completely free of duties. Rest Break: At least 10 minutes for every 4 hours worked. Minor Break: 14 and 15-year-old employees must have a 30-minute meal break before working 4 consecutive hours. A 30-minute meal break is required for employees ages 16 and 17 no less than 2 hours but no more than 5 hours from the beginning of their shift. Back to top West Virginia Meal Break: 20 minutes for employees who work 6+ hours. Rest Break: None Minor Break: At least 30 minutes if scheduled to work over 5 hours. Back to top Wisconsin Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: 30 minutes duty-free for employees under 18 working 6+ consecutive hours. 16 and 17-year-olds must have 8 hours of rest between shifts if scheduled after 8 pm. Wisconsin defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18+. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Wyoming Meal Break: None Rest Break: None Minor Break: None Wyoming defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid, as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. Back to top Meal vs. rest breaks The main difference between a meal and a rest break is often its length. The typical meal break is 20-30 minutes and must be taken around midday, while a rest break is usually anywhere between 10-15 minutes and occurs at regular intervals throughout a shift. As with lunch breaks, no federal labor law requires short breaks at work. Only 11 states have local laws requiring employers to offer rest periods during work hours, and these short breaks almost always come in addition to a meal break. For instance, Colorado requires a 30-minute meal break for 5+ hour shifts and a 10-minute break for every four hours of work. Sometimes, however, it’s all just semantics. Take Maine, for example. The Pine Tree State is the only one of these 11 states that does not have a “meal break” per see, but it does have a rest break, requiring 30 minutes for work periods of over six hours. Technically, it’s not a meal break, just a rest break, but you and I both know it’s used for lunch. Minors and break laws State laws typically afford minors more break leniency than adult employees. While most state meal break rules for adults automatically cover minors, some states have specific standards for those under 18. Delaware, for example, gives adults a 30-minute break for seven and a half hours worked while giving those under 18 the same break time for only five hours worked. Some states with no adult lunch or rest break rules have unique break laws for minors. For instance, Louisiana and Michigan require employers to give 30-minute breaks to employees under 18 for shifts longer than five consecutive hours. However, In Hawaii, this same rule applies only to 14 and 15-year-olds. Managing rest and meal breaks If your state has specific rest break requirements, it’s essential that management understands them and takes appropriate action to uphold them. This, of course, is sometimes easier said than done. Without the right protocols and tools in place, tracking breaks can be tough, especially in complicated states like California, Oregon, and New York. Luckily, there are many ways to automate the workload. An online employee scheduling and time tracking platform like Workforce.com handles all break and employment law compliance for you, meaning staff will never miss breaks, and your business will never be penalized. Here are a few specific ways the cloud-based system helps you plan lunch breaks and calculate compensation accurately: Auto-schedule compliant breaks Workforce.com’s scheduling allows managers to automatically apply compliant meal and rest breaks to employee schedules according to local state laws. Employees can easily view these breaks from their phones, knowing exactly when to work and rest. Capture break clock-out data Via a time clock app, staff can temporarily clock out for breaks, and then clock back in once their break is over. This granular time clock data helps managers easily pinpoint non-compliant break times on timesheets. Utilize time clock questions Managers can create conditional questions that appear whenever an employee clocks out of a shift. These questions may ask things like “Did you waive your break?” or “Did you take your break?” depending on the length of the shift. Answers will automatically add all necessary premiums and allowances to timesheets, ensuring employees are always paid accurately. Track breaks in real-time With a live time clock feed, managers can see who’s working, who’s not, and who’s on break – all in one place and in real-time. This frontline visibility helps managers respond more quickly to lunch break non-compliance. Manage break rules across state lines Workforce.com has robust team and location functionality, letting you set up multiple locations on the platform. Break rules at each location can be configured according to local state laws, ensuring chains stay organized no matter where they are in the country. Support staff and protect your business with better breaks There are two key things managers can do right now to ensure their business stays on the right side of the law. One is to understand and adhere to whatever legislation applies in your state. The other is to be clear about what breaks are allowed, encourage staff to use them, and ensure they are accurately recorded. Doing all of this manually is a huge task and is prone to human error. Use employee scheduling software instead to automate how breaks are administered. Pair it with a time and attendance system to log hours and wages accurately so you’ll never have to search old time cards and spreadsheets for the needed data. Sound intriguing? Get in touch with us today, let’s talk about it. But getting break times right doesn’t just reduce your risk exposure – it also makes for happier employees. Shift workers deserve their breaks. Routinely taking time during a shift to eat, rest, and recharge always helps productivity and, most importantly, mental health. SOURCE Workforce
    Colorado
    2024年01月21日