Perfecting Your PTO Policy: How to Curb Abuse, Cut Absenteeism, and Comply with the Law - on CD

More and more often, employers are opting to replace their sick and vacation leave banks with paid time off banks. There are plenty of upsides -- employees are more satisfied, and they tend to take fewer unplanned leaves of absence. But is it really that simple?

Well, it can be -- if your PTO policy is designed and implemented correctly. In addition to giving employees paid time off for things like voting, illness, vacation, and personal time, there are other factors you must consider, such as wage and hour laws, workers' comp regulations, and the ADA. The complexity of these laws -- and their relationship with PTO -- make it crucial for you to know where your policies are potentially dangerous.

You’ll probably never settle an employee lawsuit over use-it-or-lose-it paid time off for $10.5 million, like courier DHL did. Or pay $11 million, like Kelly Services, over shorted vacation pay. Such settlements make AutoNation’s $2.35 million PTO settlement with employees seem cheap by comparison. But make no mistake -- PTO administration errors can lead to huge headaches for any employer.

Participate in this interactive webinar, and you'll learn how to create and administer an effective paid-time-off policy that will please your employees and keep your organization in compliance.

Key Webinar Take-Aways:

• What an effective, legal PTO policy looks like
• How to account for time off that’s not measured in nice, neat days
• The kinds of notice you need to give to exempt workers before forcing them to use accrued PTO during furloughs
• What paid vacation or PTO can mean when it comes to overtime pay for nonexempt employees
• Whether or not a “use it or lose it” policy is legal or not under federal law
• The right way, and the wrong way, to administer PTO days that carry over from year to year
• Tactics for combining PTO leave with protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act
• The top things you need to know before changing PTO accrual rates
• Smart moves to make when cashing out unused time
• Tips for structuring a PTO bank so that it does not have to be paid out upon termination
• How to institute caps on vacation banks to prevent employees who never take vacations from cashing out enormous vacation banks upon termination
• What to do when an employee who’s spent their PTO requires more
• Legal elements to consider before taking the PTO plan plunge
• And more!

In just 90 minutes, you'll learn how to effectively manage paid time off for your organization. Order now!

About your presenter:

Katherine Healy Marques is an associate in Holland & Knight's Litigation Section and a member of the firm’s National Labor, Employment, and Benefits Practice Group, where she represents management in a wide variety of matters. She is experienced in guiding clients through litigation and defending their interests through the appeals process. Ms. Marques advises employers on state and federal statutes governing the workplace, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. She defends employers against claims of discrimination and wrongful termination, and she also counsels clients on a wide range of other employment issues, including non-competition and confidentiality agreements, wage and hour compliance, diversity initiatives, and discrimination and wrongful termination claims.   Ms. Marques has particular experience in appellate advocacy, having honed the skills to make persuasive arguments through her service as a Special Assistant District Attorney in the Appeals Division. She has argued appeals before both the intermediate and the highest state appellate courts.