One of my dental practice clients called this week to inquire about an idea he heard of recently called a “working interview.” The idea is to have an hygienist come in for a couple of days to find out whether they are good at their job without officially hiring them. What is better, my client
Employment Law 101: How to Manage Unpaid Interns, Volunteers, and Trainees
Who, What, Why . . .
Who does it apply to: Every employer who has or intends to hire unpaid interns.
When must an intern be paid: All “employees” of a business must be paid at least minimum wage unless they are a “trainee” under the law, regardless of whether they are called an “intern.”
Internships – To Pay or Not to Pay?
With unemployment for people 20 – 24 hovering around 13.2%, college students are flocking to unpaid internships to gain some experience, stay busy, and better position themselves for jobs afterward. As recently reported by Josh Sanburn at Time MoneyLand and Steven Greenhouse in the NYT, however, these unpaid internships have serious legal problems.
Businesses
Proof that Following Employment Laws is Important!
My favorite tipster over at LexBlog sent me a couple of links this week to an employment related issue in San Francisco. A popular vegan restaurant chain called Cafe Gratitude is closing eight locations over a series of employment lawsuits. Sparing 
you the gritty details, one lawsuit involves the café’s tipping policy which is a
Job Descriptions – Who Needs Them?
Compensation Cafe offered up a “Beginner’s Guide to Job Descriptions” a few days ago. Aimed at department managers, the post does a fair job of discussing the mechanics of writing a job description. At the end though, the post defers to the HR department to add in any finishing touches. So what happens if you