How to get the most out of your company’s benefits

Dear WW: Our budget is too tight right now to give any raises. But I suddenly realized that we really don’t get enough mileage out of our benefits. I need to talk to our insurance provider, etc. but I thought I’d check in to see if this is even worth the time and trouble. NO [...]

How to handle stock options

Dear WW: I have stock options in my company. I was planning on hanging onto them for the long term, because I think the stock will be worth more, but my colleagues are exercising theirs now and it’s been “suggested” that exercising our options is a sign we believe in the company. WHAT ARE MY [...]

How to deal with being “on-call”

Dear WW: My company requires that I carry a beeper and be on-call most evenings. Shouldn’t I be paid for this time? ALWAYS ON DUTY
Dear ALWAYS,
I think prison inmate Timothy Marshall can teach you a thing or two. He recently asked a judge to let him out of jail. After all, he’d reached the release [...]

How to deal with “comp” time

Dear WW: My company offers us one hour of comp time for each hour of overtime we work. Shouldn’t they be paying us time-and-a-half? SHOW ME THE MONEY
Dear SHOW,
Check this out: a guy in Marion, Illinois robbed a bank, got arrested, then tried to post bail using the cash he’d stolen. Might have worked, too-if [...]

How to get paid fairly at work (Fair Labor Standards Act)

This month we’re reviewing the top four laws that every employer and employee needs to understand. We’re up to number two this week, the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Remember the movie entitled, “Small Time Crooks”? Victor Cardoze would undoubtedly qualify for the title role. He’d given the clerk $3 for gas and accidentally pumped $3.50 into [...]

How to qualify for unemployment insurance

Dear WW: I thought you had to be fired or laid off to qualify for unemployment. But I know a bunch of people who quit and still qualified. What gives? CAN I QUIT AND STILL GET THE GOLDEN EGG?
Dear Golden,
Speaking of the golden egg . . . did you hear the story about the man [...]

How to decide who qualifies for overtime and who doesn’t

Dear WW: I don’t mind working overtime, as long as I get paid for it. But recently my company told me that I was “exempt” and that I didn’t qualify for it anymore. Now they expect me to work extra hours and not get paid. WHERE’S MY TIME AND A HALF?
Dear Where’s,
Have you heard about [...]