text:
FLSA. Exemptions & Recordkeeping. Representing employers nationally in labor, employment, civil rights, employee benefits, and immigration matters
- Cori Julie Marshall
- 3 years ago
- Views:
1 FLSA Exemptions & Recordkeeping Representing employers nationally in labor, employment, civil rights, employee benefits, and immigration matters
3 FLSA EXEMPTIONS & RECORDKEEPING T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S EXEMPTIONS FROM THE FLSA S REQUIREMENTS....2 A. The White Collar Exemptions Executive Employees Administrative Employees Professional Employees Computer Employees Outside Sales Employees Highly Compensated Employees Combination Exemptions....7 B. The Salary Basis Issue Personal Days Off Sick Days Off First And Last Weeks Of Employment Offsets For Jury/Witness/Military Pay Safety-Rule Violations Conduct-Rule Violations FMLA Leave Rules Applying To All Salary Deductions...9 C. Other Exemptions Exemptions From Minimum Wage, Overtime, and Timekeeping Exemptions From Overtime Only Partial Exemptions From Overtime RECORDKEEPING ENFORCEMENT WHAT SHOULD AN EMPLOYER DO?...17 A. Pay Every Nonexempt Employee The Required Minimum Wage...17 B. Pay Every Nonexempt Employee For All Required Overtime C. Ensure That Employees Accurately Record All Hours Worked D. Justify Every Exemption E. Pay Exempt Employees Properly F. Ensure Compliance With The Child-Labor Provisions...19 G. Check State And Local Requirements Fisher & Phillips LLP
4 This booklet should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. You are urged to consult your lawyer concerning your particular situation and any specific legal questions you may have. Employers are specifically encouraged to consult an attorney to determine whether they are subject to other unique state requirements that extend beyond the scope of this booklet.
5 his is one of two booklets in our series dealing with the Fair Labor Standards Act. The other covers the basics of the minimum wage and overtime requirements. In this booklet, we look at several of the key exemptions from the law s requirements and explain the enforcement and recordkeeping provisions. As with any brief overview of a complex subject, this is no substitute for competent legal counsel. Rather, our goal is to provide a clear explanation, in non-technical language, Tof the highlights of this important area of the law. 1
6 EXEMPTIONS FROM THE FLSA S REQUIRE- MENTS The FLSA exempts certain types of employees from some or all of its requirements. The U.S. Labor Department and the courts apply these exemptions very narrowly. If an exemption is challenged, it is the employer s burden to prove that every element of a claimed FLSA exemption applies to the employee for whom it is asserted. There are many misconceptions about how exemptions work, and improperly applied exemptions are among the most common FLSA violations. Here is a summary of the exemptions most frequently relied upon -- and most often in dispute. A. The White Collar Exemptions The so-called white collar exemptions from the FLSA s minimum wage, overtime, and timekeeping provisions apply to those employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity, to certain computer employees, or to outside salespersons. Whether these exemptions apply to a particular person depends in part upon what kind of work he or she actually performs, rather than whether the employee is well-paid, well-educated, well-thought-of or highly skilled, or whether the employee has a high-sounding job title or is in a position covered by an impressive-looking job description. Effective August 23, 2004, the requirements for these exemptions were changed significantly. Whether a person is an exempt white collar employee also depends upon how he or she is paid, with few exceptions. Exempt individuals generally must be paid on a salary basis, described below, at a rate of at least $455 per week. But the reverse is not true: Salary-paid employees are not necessarily exempt. 2
7 1. Executive Employees Generally, an executive employee s primary duty (as a rule of thumb, more than 50% of his or her time) must be managing the organization or a customarily recognized department or other subdivision of the organization. Management can mean lots of different things, but it generally includes activities such as being involved in hiring, directing, evaluating, disciplining, and firing employees; deciding what work will be done; planning, assigning, and prioritizing work; determining what materials will be used, bought, stocked, or sold; and so on. The executive must customarily and regularly direct the work of at least two or more other full-time employees or the equivalent ( full-time usually means 40 hours a week but can be less in particular instances). The executive must also have the authority to hire or fire, or must at least make suggestions and recommendations that are given particular weight as to the hiring, firing, advancement, promotion, or any other significant change of status of other employees. 2. Administrative Employees A person whose primary duty is performing office or nonmanual work directly related to the employer s management or general business operations (or to the management or general business operations of the employer s customers) can be an administrative employee. This work might include things like advising management, being responsible for long-term planning, consulting, negotiating, participating in the formulation of business policy, making decisions affecting business policy, executing or carrying out business policy, and the like. The work must affect matters of consequence or of substantial importance. 3
8 The administrative employee s work must also include the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. This is usually said to consist of evaluating possible courses of action and then, free from immediate direction, taking or effectively recommending one of those actions. Judgment and discretion must involve more than simply applying well-established techniques, clear procedures, or specific or set standards. A person can also be an exempt administrative employee if his or her primary duty consists of performing administrative functions directly related to academic instruction or training in an educational establishment or in a department or subdivision of that establishment. Administrative employees generally must be paid on a salary basis, but they can instead be paid on a fee basis, a method that is both highly arcane and rarely used (and which is therefore not covered in this booklet). An alternative for academic administrative employees is payment on a salary basis at a level which is at least equal to the entrance salary for teachers in that educational establishment. 3. Professional Employees The professional exemption applies to an employee who has as his or her primary duty 1) work requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction (the learned professional), or 2) work requiring invention, imagination, originality, or talent in a recognized field of artistic or creative endeavor (the creative professional). The work of a learned professional must be predominantly intellectual and must include the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment. The professional exemption also applies to an employee whose primary duty is teaching, tutoring, instructing, 4
9 or lecturing in the activity of imparting knowledge, who is employed and engaged in this activity in an educational establishment by which he or she is employed. A separate prong of the professional exemption applies to a holder of a valid license or certificate permitting the practice of law or medicine (or any of their branches) who is engaged in that practice, as well as to medical interns or residents holding the requisite degree. Professional employees generally must be paid on a salary basis, although the little-used fee basis alternative exists for them as well. Employees qualifying for exemption as teachers, lawyers, or medical professionals need not be paid in any particular way. 4. Computer Employees This exemption applies to computer systems analysts, computer programmers, software engineers, or similarly skilled employees whose primary duty consists of certain kinds of work. The primary duty of such an employee must be: the application of systems analysis techniques and procedures, including consulting with users to determine hardware, software, or system functional specifications; the design, development, documentation, analysis, creation, testing, or modification of computer systems or programs, including prototypes, based on and related to user or system design specifications; the design, documentation, testing, creation or modification of computer programs related to machine operating systems; or a combination of the above duties, the performance of which requires the same level of skills. 5
10 Exempt computer employees generally must be paid on a salary basis, although the little-used fee basis alternative also exists for them. However, exempt computer employees can also be paid on an hourly basis, if their hourly rate is at least $27.63 per hour. 5. Outside Sales Employees To be an exempt outside salesperson within the FLSA s meaning, an employee s primary duty must be making sales or obtaining orders or contracts either for services or for the use of facilities for which a client or customer will pay. The employee must also be customarily and regularly engaged away from the employer s place(s) of business in doing those things. The exemption relates only to outside selling. It generally does not include inside selling, telemarketing, sales made through the mail, sales made through the Internet, and so on. An outside salesperson may engage in activities directly related to his or her own sales or solicitations, such as drawing up sales contracts in the office, telephoning customers to schedule sales visits, or making incidental deliveries and collections, without affecting the exemption. However, the exemption typically does not apply to employees who are delivering things someone else has sold, or to employees who are either promoting sales from a general standpoint or promoting sales to be made by other people. A person qualifying for this exemption need not be paid in any particular way. 6. Highly Compensated Employees An employee also qualifies for white collar exempt status if he or she: 6
11 is paid on a salary basis or a fee basis at a rate of at least $455 per week; has total annual compensation of at least $100,000 (including both salary and commissions, nondiscretionary bonuses, and/or other nondiscretionary compensation earned in a 52-week period); has a primary duty that includes performing office or non-manual work; and customarily and regularly performs any one or more exempt duties or responsibilities of an executive, administrative, or professional employee. 7. Combination Exemptions Sometimes, an employee s primary duty is a combination of work which meets more than one of the primary-duty tests for the white collar exemptions. Work which is exempt under one of those exemptions does not undercut work qualifying for another one of them, so the employee might qualify for more than one of the white collar exemptions. Of course, the employee still has to meet all the other tests for exempt status for each of the claimed exemptions. B. The Salary Basis Issue Paying a person on a salary basis generally means that he or she regularly receives each pay period a fixed, predetermined amount of money for every workweek in which the employee performs any work, without regard to the number of days or hours worked. Ordinarily, salary deductions may not be made from the salaries of white collar exempt employees based upon the quality or quantity of the work they perform. On the other hand, the salary need not be paid for a workweek in which the employee performs no work. 7
12 The salary basis test is not met where the pay method is, for example, purely hourly or solely by commissions, or where impermissible deductions are made. However, U.S. Labor Department regulations outline certain circumstances under which deductions from the salary of an exempt employee are allowable: 1. Personal Days Off Salary deductions may be made for absences of one or more whole days due to personal reasons other than the employee s sickness, accident, or disability. 2. Sick Days Off Salary deductions may be made for absences of one or more whole days caused by the employee s sickness, accident, or disability, if this is done in conjunction with a bona fide sick-pay plan. Deductions may be made before the employee is qualified for compensation under the plan and after the employee has exhausted the plan s benefits. If there is no bona fide sick-pay plan, no deductions may be made for days missed due to sickness, accident, or disability, unless the employee is off for a whole workweek, or unless the absence falls under a special federal Family and Medical Leave Act exception. 3. First And Last Weeks Of Employment Salary deductions may be made so as to pay only a proportionate part of an employee s full salary for time actually worked in his or her first workweek or last workweek of employment. 4. Offsets For Jury/Witness/Military Pay 8 Salary deductions can be made to offset any amounts received by an employee as jury fees or witness fees, or as military pay. However, deductions may not be made for
13 absences caused by jury duty, attendance as a witness, or temporary military leave, unless the employee is off for one or more entire workweeks. 5. Safety-Rule Violations Disciplinary salary deductions may be made as penalties imposed in good faith for violating safety rules of major significance. 6. Conduct-Rule Violations Salary deductions may be made to reflect an unpaid disciplinary suspension of one or more whole days imposed in good faith for infractions of workplace conduct rules, if the suspension is imposed under a written policy applicable to all employees. The U.S. Labor Department says that the exception is a narrow one having to do only with serious misconduct. 7. FMLA Leave Salary deductions may be made so as to pay only a proportionate part of an employee s full salary for time actually worked in a workweek in which he or she takes unpaid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. 8. Rules Applying To All Salary Deductions Most deductions permitted by these exceptions may be computed at the hourly or daily equivalent of the exempt employee s full weekly salary, or in another amount proportional to the time missed. Major-safety-rule penalties can be imposed in any amount, and deductions to offset sums received as jury or witness fees or as military pay are, of course, to be made in those amounts. One question employers sometimes ask about salary deductions is, What happens if we make improper ones? The general answer is that this causes the exemption to be 9
14 lost if the circumstances show that the employer did not intend to pay on a salary basis. And an actual practice of making improper deductions shows that the employer had no such intent. Among the factors relevant to the actual practice issue are: The proportion of improper deductions made as compared to the occasions on which they might have been made; the time period during which the deductions are made; the number and geographic location of the employees whose salaries were improperly reduced; the number and geographic location of the managers responsible for making the improper deductions; and whether the employer has a clearly communicated policy permitting or prohibiting the improper deductions. Isolated or inadvertent improper deductions will not destroy these exemptions if the employer reimburses employees for them. In addition, under a regulatory safe harbor, improper deductions will not destroy these exemptions if: there is a clearly communicated policy that both 1) prohibits the improper pay deductions specified in the general salary basis rule, and 2) contains a mechanism for making complaints about such deductions; employees are reimbursed for any improper deductions; and 10
15 the employer makes a good-faith commitment to comply with the salary basis rules in the future. As one would expect, the safe harbor is unavailable if the employer fails to reimburse the improper deductions or willfully violates its policy by continuing to make improper deductions after receiving employee complaints. Improper deductions which are neither 1) isolated or inadvertent, nor 2) covered by a valid safe harbor will destroy these exemptions for the time period during which the deductions were made for employees in the same job classification(s) working for the same managers responsible for the actual deductions. You should be very careful to see that the salary basis of pay is properly maintained. A failure to do so can mean that employees treated as exempt will later be found to have been non-exempt, which typically results in substantial liability. C. Other Exemptions There are a number of other exemptions from one or more of the FLSA s requirements. Some of these are available only in obscure industries (such as the one applying to people making particular kinds of wreaths, for example). These exemptions typically are subject to multiple conditions, limitations, and interpretations. It is not possible to do more than briefly list some of the exemptions here. 1. Exemptions From The Minimum Wage, Overtime, And Timekeeping: employees of certain amusement or recreational establishments, organized camps, or religious and nonprofit educational conference centers; employees working in certain fishing activities; 11
16 certain agricultural employees; employees who are exempted by a proper regulation, order, or certificate as a learner, apprentice, messenger, worker with a disability, or as students employed under particular circumstances; employees engaged on a casual basis in domestic service employment to provide babysitting services, and employees employed in domestic service to provide companionship services for certain incapacitated individuals; employees who deliver newspapers to consumers. 2. Exemption From Overtime Only drivers, drivers helpers, loaders, and mechanics as to whom the U.S. Secretary of Transportation has the power to establish qualifications and maximum hours of service; employees of certain railroads; employees of certain airlines; seamen; salesmen, partsmen, or mechanics primarily engaged in selling or servicing automobiles, trucks, or farm implements, if employed by a nonmanufacturing establishment primarily engaged in selling such vehicles or implements to ultimate purchasers; salesmen primarily engaged in selling trailers, boats, or aircraft if employed by a nonmanufacturing establishment primarily engaged in selling trailers, boats, or aircraft to ultimate purchasers; 12
17 certain drivers or drivers helpers making local deliveries; some employees employed in agriculture or forestry; taxicab drivers; persons employed in domestic service in a household and who reside in that household; persons employed by a motion picture theater. 3. Partial Exemptions From Overtime an employee of a retail or service establishment need not be paid overtime if: a. his or her regular rate of pay in an overtime workweek is more than 1.5 times the minimum wage; and b. over 50% of the employee s earnings in a representative period (of not less than one month) comes from commissions. a hospital or residential-care home need not pay overtime after 40 hours worked in 7-day workweek worked by healthcare employees: a. who receive at least 1.5 times their regular rates of pay for hours worked over eight in a workday or over 80 hours in a 14-day work period, whichever is more; and b. who agree or understand that they will be paid in this way before the work is done. 13
18 an employee being provided remedial education by an employer for a total of no more than 10 hours over 40 in a workweek if the education: a. is provided to employees who lack a high-school diploma or educational attainment at the eighthgrade level; b. is designed to provide reading and other basic skills at an eighth-grade level or below; and c. does not include job-specific training. the total overtime pay for the workweek or work period; RECORD- KEEPING U.S. Labor Department regulations adopted under the FLSA impose recordkeeping obligations too numerous and detailed to be reproduced here. As an example, with respect to an employee subject to both the FLSA s minimum wage and overtime provisions, an employer must maintain the following information: personal information, including the employee s name, home address, occupation, sex, and birth date (if under 19 years of age); the hour and day when the workweek begins; total hours worked each workday and each workweek; the total daily or weekly straight-time earnings; the regular hourly pay rate for any workweek or work period when overtime is worked; 14 any deductions from or additions to wages;
19 total wages paid each pay period; and the date of payment and pay period covered. Special provisions also exist, such as those applying to employees who are exempt in one way or another, or who work in certain occupations (such as homeworkers, for instance), or who work under particular kinds of pay arrangements, or who receive room or board. The FLSA requires employers to keep the following records for three years: individual employment contracts; collective bargaining agreements; records on employees wages and hours; and records showing the employees sales and purchases. Employers must keep the following for two years: basic employment and earnings records; wage-rate records; order, billing and shipping records; and records of deductions from or additions to wages paid. You generally do not have to keep records in any particular form. ENFORCEMENT The FLSA prohibits an employer from: transporting or selling goods produced by employees working in violation of the FLSA s minimum wage, overtime, or child labor provisions; violating the FLSA s minimum wage, overtime, or child labor provisions; retaliating in any manner against an employee because the individual filed a complaint or instituted or testified in an FLSA proceeding; or 15
20 violating any of the FLSA s recordkeeping provisions. Employers who violate the FLSA can be liable for such things as: the unpaid minimum wage or overtime compensation; an equal amount as liquidated damages ; civil money penalties imposed by the U.S. Labor Department of up to $1,100 for each repeated or willful minimum wage or overtime violation; civil money penalties imposed by the U.S. Labor Department of up to $11,000 for each child labor violation; court injunctions requiring compliance with the FLSA and/or which prohibit an employer from shipping so-called hot goods made under FLSA-violating conditions until the FLSA problems are remedied; reasonable attorney s fees and costs; and/or criminal penalties (up to a $10,000 fine for the first conviction, imprisonment for up to six months if convicted again). The U.S. Secretary of Labor is authorized to investigate alleged FLSA violations and does so through the U.S. Labor Department s Wage and Hour Division. The Secretary of Labor may also sue an employer. Perhaps the fastest-growing FLSA threat to employers is the prospect of private lawsuits by one or more current or former employees. These lawsuits may be pursued as 16
21 collective actions in which multiple plaintiffs join. The individuals bringing the suit are often allowed to send out notices to other current or former similarly situated employees inviting them to enter the lawsuit. Through this mechanism, a lawsuit which begins with one employee can mushroom into a company-wide action involving tens, hundreds, or even thousands of employees. WHAT SHOULD AN EMPLOYER DO? More than ever before, compliance and prevention is the key to dealing with the FLSA s requirements. Every employer should immediately evaluate how it is doing in those areas that commonly lead to compliance problems and potential liability: A. Pay Every Nonexempt Employee The Required Minimum Wage Review all payroll deductions or employee payments, repayments, or work-related purchases to ensure that they do not cut your employees pay to below the required minimum wage. For example, determine how your organization handles the cost of required uniforms and uniform maintenance, and be aware of whether your organization requires deductions or repayments for cash shortages or inventory shortages. If so, evaluate whether these sums unlawfully reduce your employees wages below the required minimum wage. B. Pay Every Nonexempt Employee For All Required Overtime Make sure that overtime pay is being figured correctly for every nonexempt employee. Check to see whether all bonuses, commissions, shift differentials, and other payments for work either are properly included in computing overtime or may be lawfully excluded from that calculation. 17
22 Evaluate all payroll deductions or employee payments, repayments, or work-related purchases to ensure that your organization is not unlawfully reducing employees timeand-one-half overtime pay. Ensure that you can identify all overtime hours as such and properly pay for them, including, for example, work done at different locations or in different jobs. Determine whether your organization has any formal or informal comp time systems because they might be unlawful. C. Ensure That Employees Accurately Record All Hours Worked Pay special attention to whether employees are recording pre- and post-shift work; shift-change overlap; opening or closing activities; compensable training time; compensable meeting time; compensable travel time; compensable oncall work; and time spent doing work at home. Analyze time records to determine accuracy: for instance, do the records show highly repetitive starting or stopping times; do they appear to mirror only scheduled or expected hours; are there recurring corrections, strikeouts, or white-outs; are there unexplained additions to or subtractions from employee worktimes; do the times and totals seem to be reasonable in light of organization or employee work patterns or unusual situations? D. Justify Every Exemption Decide whether you can prove that every requirement is met as to each employee you are treating as exempt. 18 Be careful about exemption decisions that may have been made simply based upon job titles, position descriptions, or vague ideas about what employees do or how they are paid.
23 Thoroughly review the exemptions requirements in light of a candid assessment of each employee s day-to-day duties and responsibilities. E. Pay Exempt Employees Properly Make sure that individuals treated as exempt white collar employees are paid on a salary basis or in another way that the rules require or permit. Find out whether the salaries of white collar employees are subject to any impermissible deductions. Ensure that the pay of employees treated as exempt under some other exception meet any pay-related requirement for that exemption (such as the exemption concerning commissions). F. Ensure Compliance With The Child Labor Provisions Identify every employee who is 16, 17, or 18, verify his or her age, determine his or her exact duties, and then evaluate whether the minor s duties include hazardous work which requires an age-18 minimum. Identify every employee who is 14 or 15, verify his or her age, determine his or her exact duties and hours and times of work, and then evaluate 1) whether the minor s duties consist only of permissible kinds of work; and 2) whether the minor s work hours comply with the FLSA s applicable limitations upon a minor s hours worked and times-of-day worked. Identify every employee under the age of 14, verify his or her age, and evaluate whether the minor s employment is subject to one of the limited exceptions. 19
24 G. Check State And Local Requirements Remember that the FLSA does not preempt tougher state or local wage-hour or wage-payment provisions, and many states do, in fact, have more stringent requirements. These other laws might well include such things as a higher minimum wage; a daily-overtime requirement; a lower weekly-overtime threshold; minimum pay for reporting to work; strict limitations on deductions from wages; time limits for paying employees who resign or are fired; specific terms upon which bonus, incentive, or commission payments can be paid, lost, or forfeited; rules concerning accumulation and payment of vacation or leave; or requirements that certain employees be paid in cash. Moreover, state and local laws might not recognize all of the exemptions available under the FLSA or might recognize them only on different or more-limited terms. 20
25 You might think that compliance with a law that has been around as long as the FLSA would be almost second nature for employers by now. As you can see, nothing could be further from the truth. Being sure that all your payroll practices and procedures will pass legal scrutiny requires a lot of careful review and concern -- but compliance is definitely worth it. For further information about these contents, please contact any office of Fisher & Phillips LLP or visit our website at 21
26 OTHER BOOKLETS IN THIS SERIES: Age Discrimination In Employment Act Americans With Disabilities Act (Employment Aspects) Americans With Disabilities Act (Public Accommodations) Business Immigration COBRA Employment Discrimination Fair Labor Standards Act (Wage-Hour Provisions) Family Medical Leave Act HIPAA National Labor Relations Act (Unfair Labor Practices) National Labor Relations Act (Union Organizing) OSHA Sexual Harassment USERRA WARN Act
Fair Labor Standards Act Guide
Fair Labor Standards Act Guide Executive Employee Exemption not less than [minimum wage x 40 hours] per week exclusive of board, lodging or other facilities, AND Primary duty is management of the enterpriseMore information
Wage & Hour Exempt Employees, the Salary Basis Test and Unlawful Deductions. By: Christina Lewis
Wage & Hour Exempt Employees, the Salary Basis Test and Unlawful Deductions By: Christina Lewis Exemptions under the FLSA Executive Employees Administrative Employees Professional Employees Computer EmployeesMore information
PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS POLICY D 23.17 1 of 6 Background It is the policy of the Board of Supervisors that all of its managers and supervisors are versed in the requirements of the FairMore information
Small Entity Compliance Guide
Wage and Hour Division United States Department of Labor Small Entity Compliance Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act s White Collar Exemptions > For more information visit www.dol.gov/whd The DepartmentMore information
EXEMPT VS. NON-EXEMPT Identifying Employee Classification
EXEMPT VS. NON-EXEMPT Identifying Employee Classification Employee Classification Keeping it all straight The comptroller of a small company notices that her accounting clerk works a lot of overtime. InMore information
Compensation and Salary Administration
Compensation and Salary Administration 1 Ori Murdock, SPHR HR Manager of G&A Partners Provides HR assistance and support to over 250 companies through out Texas and various other states. Over 15 yearsMore information
FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT UPDATE: The Fair Pay Rules. Matthew Scott Disbrow, Esq.
FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT UPDATE: The Fair Pay Rules Matthew Scott Disbrow, Esq. I. THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT The United States Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. 210, et. seq. (More information
California State University
California State University Office of the Chancellor The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): White Collar Exemption Guidelines Human Resources Administration 2004 The FLSA and White Collar Exemption GuidelinesMore information
HOT GOODS AND FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT COMPLIANCE TEXAS WINE AND GRAPE GROWERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION--FEBRUARY 19, 2015 Presented by: Ann Abrams Price, Esq. Boulette Golden & Marin firstname.lastname@example.com information
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS 2015 EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE SEMINAR Pay Issues Affecting Exempt (and Non-Exempt) Employees P R E S E N T E D B Y T h o m a s B. W i e s e r INTRODUCTION TheMore information
Spring 2005 BY JEFFREY A. DRETLER WHAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RECENT CHANGES TO THE FLSA REGULATIONS On April 20, 2004, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced changes to the white collar exemptionsMore information
Topic: They re Here (Are You Ready?): The New FLSA Regulations
THE RESOURCE A Legal Newsletter for Employers & Human Resource Professionals By: L. Diane Tindall & Mary S. McCrory Attorneys-at-Law Issue XXI Summer 2004 Topic: They re Here (Are You Ready?): The NewMore information
Exempt vs. Nonexempt: How to Find and Fix Misclassification Mistakes
Exempt vs. Nonexempt: How to Find and Fix Misclassification Mistakes Presented by: Austin E. Smith Ogletree Deakins Thursday, June 27, 2013 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CentralMore information
WHO S EXEMPT? THE NEW FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT REGULATIONS By Brandon W. Zuk, Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C.
WHO S EXEMPT? THE NEW FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT REGULATIONS By Brandon W. Zuk, Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C. I. OVERVIEW OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT. A. The Fair Labor Standards Act is theMore information
EMPLOYMENT & LABOR LAW FLASH FOCUS THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ISSUES NEW REGULATIONS GOVERNING EXEMPT EMPLOYEES The federal Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued new regulations governing theMore information
Overview of Changes to Regulations. Among other changes, the new regulations:
On April 20, 2004, in an attempt to better accommodate the realities of the modern workplace, the United States Department of Labor ( DOL ) published regulations changing the standards governing whetherMore information
Executive Exemption Worksheet
Executive Exemption Worksheet This position is paid on a salary basis. This position receives a guaranteed salary of at least $455 each week. The primary duty of this position is management of the enterpriseMore information
Exemptions As a general rule, all employees working for a covered employer are subject to the provisions of the FLSA and any analogous state wage and hour law. Some employees, however, are exempt fromMore information
FYI WAGE AND HOUR. Exemptions - Duties Test
FYI 1799 Pennsylvania Street P.O. Box 539 Denver, Colorado 80201.0539 303.839.5177 800.884.1328 www.msec.org Revised: July 2011 WAGE AND HOUR Exemptions - Duties Test Summary: The Fair Labor StandardsMore information
Common Payroll Pitfalls. Presented by: Christopher Brown, SPHR January 25, 2012
Common Payroll Pitfalls Presented by: Christopher Brown, SPHR January 25, 2012 1 Who is an Employee An employer-employee relationship generally exists if the person contracting for services has the rightMore information
The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Connecticut Wage and Hour Law: Executive, Administrative and Professional Exemptions
The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Connecticut Wage and Hour Law: Executive, Administrative and Professional Exemptions Fair Labor Standards Act Federal Minimum Wage: $7.25/hour Connecticut Minimum Wage:More information
FLSA : is not an acronym for
FLSA : is not an acronym for Fairly Long Standing Agony The FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT Presented by: Jane Allen Fall 2008 Objectives Three Sessions Session I Overview of FLSA Hours Worked Session II OvertimeMore information
WELCOME TO THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT. Randall D. Van Vleck General Counsel New Mexico Municipal League Santa Fe, New Mexico Rvanvleck@nmml.
WELCOME TO THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT Randall D. Van Vleck General Counsel New Mexico Municipal League Santa Fe, New Mexico email@example.com I. What is the Fair Labor Standards Act? The Fair LaborMore information
The Fair Labor Standards Act The New Federal Overtime Rules
The Fair Labor Standards Act The New Federal Overtime Rules For the first time in decades, the U.S. Department of Labor has significantly changed the rules regarding overtime pay for millions of workersMore information
How to Avoid Emerging Wage & Hour Risks: Exempt or Non- Exempt, Contractor Liability & Minimum Wage Hikes
How to Avoid Emerging Wage & Hour Risks: Exempt or Non- Exempt, Contractor Liability & Minimum Wage Hikes Jonathan C. Sterling, Shareholder, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A. The Onslaught Continues WageMore information
It is the responsibility of the Agency Head, or their designee, to determine whether any exemption is applicable to particular employees.
Page 1 of 10 EXEMPTION OF EXECUTIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE, PROFESSIONAL, AND COMPUTER EMPLOYEES UNDER THE FLSA The exempt or non-exempt status of any particular employee must be determined on the basis of whetherMore information
BB. An Update on the Fair Labor Standards Act and How the New White Collar Exemption Regulations will Affect Long Term Care Facilities
BB. An Update on the Fair Labor Standards Act and How the New White Collar Exemption Regulations will Affect Long Term Care Facilities Cohen & Grigsby PC Pittsburgh, PA Cohen & Grigsby, PC Pittsburgh,More information
SUMMARY OF FINAL RULE CONCERNING FLSA WHITE COLLAR EXEMPTIONS. Salary Basis Test ( 541.602)
SUMMARY OF FINAL RULE CONCERNING FLSA WHITE COLLAR EXEMPTIONS By: Gregory P. Kult 1 April 30, 2004 The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires covered employers to pay employees at least the federalMore information
Understanding Exemptions Under the FLSA
Understanding Exemptions Under the FLSA Introduction The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was passed in 1938. It set standards for child labor, minimum wage and overtime pay. Since the passage of the EqualMore information
FLSA AND WAGE PAYMENT EMPLOYMENT LAW CERTIFICATE SERIES: BUILDING WORKPLACES THAT WIN 12 AUGUST 2015 David Dubberly* and Jimmy Byars *Specialist in Employment and Labor Law firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com information
Last Revision: Page 1 of 10 Introduction The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (the Act ) was enacted by Congress to regulate such employment matters as hours of work, minimum wage, overtime compensation,More information
Federal and New York Wage & Hour Laws. NYSAIS April 20, 2011
NYSAIS April 20, 2011 Presented by Mark E. Brossman Scott A. Gold Adam J. Rivera Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP 212.756.2000 Governing Law Fair Labor Standards Act ( FLSA ) Federal wage and hour law that requiresMore information
Published on e-li (https://ctas-eli.ctas.tennessee.edu) June 29, 2016 Executive, Administrative and Professional Exemptions
Published on e-li (https://ctas-eli.ctas.tennessee.edu) June 29, 2016 Executive, Administrative and Professional Exemptions Dear Reader: The following document was created from the CTAS electronic libraryMore information
Procedures. I. Non- Exempt Positions
Policy Title Wage and Hour Administration Policy Effective Date: 3/15/2011 Policy # 1.3 Functional Area Compensation Revised Date(s) 2/29/2012 Policy Wage and Hour Administration Policy Statement The purposeMore information
OH, NO! IT S WAGE AND HOUR! UNDERSTANDING WHO IS EXEMPT AND NON-EXEMPT by
OH, NO! IT S WAGE AND HOUR! UNDERSTANDING WHO IS EXEMPT AND NON-EXEMPT by Scott Warrick, JD, MLHR, SPHR I. EXECUTIVE EXEMPTION A. Executive Exemption Short Test To qualify for the executive employee exemption,More information
Compensation Basics For Managers and Supervisors
Compensation Basics For Managers and Supervisors Truths About Compensation Truth #1: Compensation management is more of an art than a science. 2 Truths About Compensation Many elements influence pay decisionsMore information
Communications Broadcast Advisory
February 21, 2007 Communications Broadcast Advisory A Broadcaster s Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act by Julia E. Judish and Ellen C. Cohen The Fair Labor Standards Act (the FLSA ) is the federal lawMore information
Exempt or Not Exempt? The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Exempt or Not Exempt? The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Background and Purpose The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a U.S. Federal Law enacted in 1938 to prohibit employers from taking advantage ofMore information
THE GEORGIA NON-PROFIT AND LAWS PREVENTING DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT By: Benjamin D. Briggs Anna C. Curry TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP 600 Peachtree Street NE Bank of America Plaza, Suite 5200 Atlanta, GeorgiaMore information
4. EMPLOYMENT LAW. LET S GO LEGAL: The Right Road to Compliance & Protection KNOW KNOW MORE. 1. Minimum Wage & Overtime
4. EMPLOYMENT LAW KNOW There are five key areas of Employment Law for nonprofit to be aware of: 1. Minimum Wage & Overtime: Federal, State, and in some cases Local law regulates employers pay practicesMore information
Overtime Exemptions and Misclassification Issues: Brewing Wage and Hour Violations Could Seriously Interrupt Your Craft
Overtime Exemptions and Misclassification Issues: Brewing Wage and Hour Violations Could Seriously Interrupt Your Craft Presented by: Megan Winter email@example.com 858-597-9622 Number One MistakeMore information
The Fair Labor Standards Act1 ( FLSA ) is a federal law that applies to
Information I n f o r m a t i o n Bulletin B u l l e t i #1 n # 5 HR National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc HUMAN RESOURCES SERIES For more information please contact Jacqueline C. Leifer,More information
THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT: AN OVERVIEW MATERIALS BY: ALLISON SCHAFER, LEGAL COUNSEL/DIRECTOR OF POLICY PRESENTED BY: CHRISTINE SCHEEF, STAFF ATTORNEY NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION July 2013More information
WAGE AND HOUR FOR HEALTH CARE EMPLOYERS 30 COMMON QUESTIONS Note: This article directed toward health care employers. Although much of it will be of interest to other employers as well, its applicationMore information
03.602 Compensatory Leave and Overtime.
03.602 Compensatory Leave and Overtime. 1. Purpose. To insure that staff members are compensated for overtime worked in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, and the Texas GovernmentMore information
Wage & Hour Issues in Today's A/E Industry Hosted By ACEC Washington
Wage & Hour Issues in Today's A/E Industry Hosted By ACEC Washington September 5, 2012 David K. Eckberg & Kara R. Masters Skellenger Bender, P.S. firstname.lastname@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com information
Why Should Businesses Care About Wage and Hour Laws?
MCFADDEN, WHITE SPRATTLIN & DAVIS LLC Society of Human Resource Management Rome Chapter Monthly Meeting - May 12, 2015 How To Avoid Costly Wage and Hour Lawsuits and Agency Investigations By Nancy S. Sprattlin,More information
Practical Advice for Classifying Employees. Presented by. Sandy Rappaport Mike Moye
Practical Advice for Classifying Employees Presented by Sandy Rappaport Mike Moye 106 Classifying Employees General General Presumption Federal Law Fair Labor Standards Act California Law Wage Orders LaborMore information
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT ISSUES UNDER PENNSYLVANIA WAGE AND HOUR LAW By Julius Steiner, Esq. This informational guide was distributed as a supplement to the 2011 Labor & Employment Executive Series held inMore information
U.S. Department of Labor Announces New FairPay Rules
April 30, 2004 U.S. Department of Labor Announces New FairPay Rules The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) requires that employers pay certain employees overtime pay, at time and one-half the regularMore information
Classification of Employees as Exempt v. Non-Exempt Under the Fair Labor Standards Act. By Maureen E. Carr, Esq.
Classification of Employees as Exempt v. Non-Exempt Under the Fair Labor Standards Act By Maureen E. Carr, Esq. The Fair Labor Standards Act ( FLSA ) is a wide-reaching employment law that establishesMore information
Decision-Making on Exempt/Non-Exempt Status. A Resource for Department/Office Heads and Other Managers
Human Resources Decision-Making on Exempt/Non-Exempt Status A Resource for Department/Office Heads and Other Managers If you have any questions about these materials, please contact Human Resources DECISION-MAKINGMore information
City of Minneapolis Fair Labor Standards Act Procedures for Exempt Employees (Link to Policy)
City of Minneapolis Fair Labor Standards Act Procedures for Exempt Employees (Link to Policy) Applies to: All employees classified as exempt as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). These proceduresMore information
Are You My Employee?
Are You My Employee? Proper Classification of Exempt Employees and Independent Contractors Elizabeth Wells Skaggs and Richard A. Hooker January 19, 2012 Important Notice: This presentation has been preparedMore information
Policies of the University of North Texas Chapter 5. Human Resources. 1.4.2 Compensatory Leave and Overtime
Policies of the University of North Texas Chapter 5 1.4.2 Compensatory Leave and Overtime Human Resources Policy Statement. To insure that staff members are compensated for overtime worked in accordanceMore information
Avoiding Wage and Hour Liability in 2014. Presented By: Whitney M. Harmon, Esq. Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz Wharmon@bakerdonelson.
Avoiding Wage and Hour Liability in 2014 Presented By: Whitney M. Harmon, Esq. Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz email@example.com Wage and Hour Trends Agency Enforcement Private EnforcementMore information
Plaintiff s Lawyers Bullish On Merrill Lynch: Brokerage Firm Agrees To Pay $37 Million To Settle Overtime Claims By Stockbroker
AUGUST 26, 2005 Plaintiff s Lawyers Bullish On Merrill Lynch: Brokerage Firm Agrees To Pay $37 Million To Settle Overtime Claims By Stockbroker By Dale A. Hudson In a settlement that may well be a harbingerMore information
Top 5 H.R./Employment Issues for Small Businesses
Philadelphia Bar Association Small Business Committee CLE 2011-7283 Philadelphia Presentation Only Mon., Dec. 12, 2011 Handout: Top 5 H.R./Employment Issues for Small Businesses Submitted By: StephanieMore information
Caryn Pass, Esq., presenter VAIS 2015 BUSINESS OFFICERS INSTITUTE April 9 10, Venable LLP
Exempt? Nonexempt? Stipends or not? How to Successfully Navigate Wage and Hour Laws that Apply to Independent Schools (and hopefully survive a DOL audit while doing so) Caryn Pass, Esq., presenter VAISMore information
Q1: What law regulates the payment of overtime?
Guidance for managing Non-Exempt Staff Q1: What law regulates the payment of overtime? A: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor standardsMore information
DOL Proposed Changes to FLSA Overtime Rules
DOL Proposed Changes to FLSA Overtime Rules Presented by: Mike Bourgon Mike Conroy Introduction On June 30, 2015, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) released proposed regulations that would modifyMore information
A Wage and Hour Primer for Small Business Owners:
WHITE PAPER A Wage and Hour Primer for Small Business Owners: Avoid Common Pitfalls of Employee Classification What makes someone an employee and not an independent contractor? Well-intentioned small businessMore information
Copyright September 2009 All Rights Reserved Employment Learning Innovations, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia
Copyright September 2009 All Rights Reserved Employment Learning Innovations, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia Audio will be broadcast through your speakers. If you cannot hear the audio, please check your speakers.More information
Workers Compensation Issues/independent contractors and misclassification
Workers Compensation Issues/independent contractors and misclassification Most jobs are governed by the FLSA. Some are not. Some jobs are excluded from FLSA coverage by statute. Other jobs, while governedMore information
New Jersey Adopts Federal Regulations Regarding White Collar Overtime Exemptions
Overview On September 6, 2011, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development ( NJDOL ) repealed the existing state regulations regarding white collar overtime exemptions (the administrative,More information
FLSA/Wage & Hour Basics
FLSA/Wage & Hour Basics James P. Wilkins, Esq. OSBA Certified Specialist in Labor & Employment Law Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC 3480 West Market Street, Suite 300 Akron, OH 44333 330.867.9998 email@example.com information
Loan Officer Compensation Briefing
Loan Officer Compensation Briefing October, 2010 POE Group, Inc. Management consulting firm established in 1997 Clients range from small firms to mid caps Areas of Expertise Total reward systems ExecutiveMore information
EMPLOYMENT LAWS THAT MAY APPLY TO YOUR CITY. Number of Employees 15 or more employees
EMPLOYMENT LAWS THAT MAY APPLY TO YOUR CITY FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT LAWS Statute Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title VII (42 U.S.C. 2000e-2; 2000e-3 ) Title I of the Americans With DisabilitiesMore information
FLSA EXEMPTIONS FLOW CHART This flow chart serves as a basic outline for an initial analysis of positions being considered for exemption under the FLSA and is meant to serve as one of several tools forMore information
GUIDELINES TO DETERMINE FLSA STATUS State of Hawaii Department of Human Resources Development Employee Classification & Compensation Division October 2013 State of Hawaii Department of Human ResourcesMore information
Overtime Pay Administration and Hours of Work
CLACKAMAS COUNTY EMPLOYMENT POLICY & PRACTICE (EPP) EPP # 15 Implemented: 12/31/92 Revised: 12/01/10 Overtime Pay Administration and Hours of Work PURPOSE: To ensure compliance with a variety of stateMore information
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT 1515 Arapahoe Street Denver, Colorado 80202-2117
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT 1515 Arapahoe Street Denver, Colorado 80202-2117 MEMORANDUM Effective Date: 07/06/89 Supersedes: Revision Date: Director's Approval (Date): Under Revision: DocumentMore information
At-will employment is a fundamental principal of US employment:
At-will employment is a fundamental principal of US employment: Most US employees are employed at-will meaning that an employee can leave his or her employment at any time without notice, for any reasonMore information
Educational Purposes Only - 1
Educational Purposes Only - 1 In this Guide About this Guide 2 Fair Labor Laws and Policy at UAB 3 Nonexempt and Exempt Status 4 Managing Nonexempt and Exempt Employees _ 5 Paid Time 5 Recordkeeping 6More information
Wage Theft Prevention Act Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Wage Theft Prevention Act Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) The Wage Theft Prevention Act, which goes into effect April 9, 2011, amends the notice of wage rate requirements and expands the civil and criminalMore information
STATE OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Minimum Wage Order for the Restaurant Industry Part 137 of Title 12 of Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations Effective July 24, 2009 Promulgated byMore information
CALIFORNIA S PAID SICK LEAVE LAW NO GET WELL CARD FOR EMPLOYERS BONNIE GLATZER, ESQ. PAUL LYND, ESQ. APRIL 8, 2015 BACKGROUND First paid sick leave mandate with San Francisco s Proposition F in 2006 OtherMore information
Fact sheet. New York State Department of Labor Wage Theft prevention act. What is New?
Fact sheet New York State Department of Labor Wage Theft prevention act A law passed in 2010 gives more protection to workers in New York State. This law, the Wage Theft Prevention Act (WTPA), took effectMore information
STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS TITLE: OVERTIME NUMBER: ES.A.8.1 REPLACES: ES-013 CHAPTER: RCW 49.46.130 ISSUED: 1/2/2002 WAC 296-126 and WAC 296-128 REVISED:More information
HR Challenges Facing Small Business Owners
HR Challenges Facing Small Business Owners In my experience working with small businesses, I find that they usually spend countless hours searching the internet for answers to their HR problems. This isMore information
Wisconsin Human Resources Handbook
Chapter 520 Administration of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Wisconsin Statutes Pertaining to Hours Worked and Overtime Provisions For State Classified Employees and Certain Unclassified EmployeesMore information
Your Employment Rights
Yo u r E mployment Rights Your Right to Equal Treatment at Work Regardless of your age, gender, race, religion, national origin, or disability. It is illegal for an employer to make decisions about whomMore information
Wage Theft Prevention Act Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Wage Theft Prevention Act Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) The Wage Theft Prevention Act, which goes into effect April 9, 2011, amends the notice of wage rate requirements and expands the civil and criminalMore information
Executive Exemption Current Long Test Current Short Test Proposed Standard Test Salary $155/week $250/week $425/week Duties Employee s primary duty is
Executive Exemption Salary $155/week $250/week $425/week Duties duty is managing his/her enterprise or a regular department thereof; Employee regularly directs two or more other employees; Employee managesMore information
wage & hour laws 101 Overtime Rules, Exempt to Non-Exempt, & More
wage & hour laws 101 Overtime Rules, Exempt to Non-Exempt, & More Table of Contents New Overtime Rules Effective December 1, 2016: How to Comply...3 The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued final rulesMore information
Employment and Labour Law in Canada
Employment and Labour Law in Canada By Colin Kelly & Sven Poysa Frequent changes in Canadian employment and labour law present a significant challenge for employers doing business here. That challengeMore information
Overtime Pay Compliance for a New Era of Employment Law:
A publication of Hunter Business Law Copyright 2016 Overtime Pay Compliance for a New Era of Employment Law: Effective Strategies and Planning Tools for Employers A GUIDE TO EMPLOYMENT COMPLIANCE 119 S.More information
WAGE AND HOUR COMPLIANCE Prepared and Presented by: Joseph DeGiuseppe, Jr. Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP One North Lexington Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 949-2700 firstname.lastname@example.com June 18,More information
FLSA Overtime. Employers mistakenly treating employees as "exempt" from the FLSA overtime requirements; and,
FLSA Overtime FLSA overtime claims may involve: Employers mistakenly treating employees as "exempt" from the FLSA overtime requirements; and, Employers failing to identify, record, or compensate "off-the-clock"More information
Oklahoma State University Policy and Procedures. TIMEKEEPING AND OVERTIME (In Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act)
Oklahoma State University Policy and Procedures TIMEKEEPING AND OVERTIME (In Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act) 3-0742 ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE JUNE 2015 1.00 PURPOSE 1.01 An integral part ofMore information
wage & hour laws 101
wage & hour laws 101 Table of Contents New Overtime Rules Proposed: What You Need to Know Now...3 The Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed changes to the overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor StandardsMore information
Provided By Touchstone Consulting Group Workers Compensation Employer Penalties
Provided By Touchstone Consulting Group Workers Compensation Employer New Jersey s workers compensation laws determine the benefits available to employees who are injured in the course and scope of employment.More information
Top 10 HR Traps For Small Businesses. 2015, Paychex, Inc. All rights reserved.
Top 10 HR Traps For Small Businesses 2015, Paychex, Inc. All rights reserved. Paychex HR Solutions Top 10 HR Traps Disclaimer: This Paychex seminar is for general information purposes only. It should notMore information
GUIDE TO EMPLOYMENT LAW IN GUERNSEY CONTENTS PREFACE 1 1. Written Statement of Terms and Conditions 2 2. Written Statement of Pay and Deductions 3 3. Written Statement of Reasons for a Dismissal 3 4. MinimumMore information
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT BULLETIN April 27, 2004
ANTITRUST APPELLATE BANKRUPTCY, RESTRUCTURINGS & CREDITORS RIGHTS BUSINESS CASUALTY CIVIL RIGHTS CLASS ACTION COAL AND NATURAL GAS CONDEMNATION, LAND USE AND WATER RIGHTS CONSTRUCTION CONSUMER FINANCIALMore information
Seattle Employers: Get Ready for Paid Sick and Safe Leave
Seattle Employers: Get Ready for Paid Sick and Safe Leave March 8, 2012 Materials prepared by: Katheryn Bradley 1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4100 Seattle, Washington 98101-2338 206.223.7000 Copyright 2012More information
Legal Issues Surrounding Internships
Legal Issues Surrounding Internships What are the legal issues surrounding internships? by Rochelle Kaplan Career services and college relations professionals often raise questions about an intern s employmentMore information
Stephen F. Austin STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin STATE UNIVERSITY FLSA Exemption Test Worksheet Executive, Professional, Computer, and Administrative Exemption Tests Federal law provides that employees may be exempt from the overtimeMore information
Washington State Family Leave Act Q&A
Washington State Family Leave Act Q&A March 2010 The Washington State Family Leave Act (FLA) builds on the existing similar benefits found in the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) by providingMore information
Overview of the Program
Wage and Hour Employment Law Update Presented by: Jack Lord (407.244.3246, firstname.lastname@example.com) Christi Adams (407.244.3235, firstname.lastname@example.com) Overview of the Program Historical Perspective Recent FLSA RegulationsMore information


text:
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Springs of Spiritual Life
The need for a rich inner life is one of the essential lessons given us to by our dear acaryas. The Goswamis were so absorbed in their heart-filled meditation upon Radha and Krsna that they often forgot to eat and sleep.
Srila Prabhupada would sacrifice the good night's sleep we take for granted in order to translate Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya-Caritamrta in the early morning hours, deeply absorbed in what he called his "personal ecstasies."
In our own individual lives, and in the whole of our society of devotees, there is an acute need, as HH Sacinandana Swami says, to focus upon our vertical relationship with Krsna, to revive the loving relationship within our heart to the Supreme Person, the very source of the most intimate feelings of pleasure and belonging.
This is not to recommend cheap dramatics, like the sahajiyas, but we need to cultivate the tender, tiny devotional creeper in our heart by constant personal meditation upon Krsna's name, fame, pastimes, and qualities.
Thomas Merton, Trappist monk and one of the most influential Catholic writers of the 20th Century, specialized in the contemplative life of inner meditation upon God.
In an article on his various moods of hermeticism, we can ponder some of his statements on the inner life and how it relates universally to our devotional lives.
"Not all men are called to be hermits, but all men need enough silence and solitude in their lives to enable the deep inner voice of their own true self to be heard at least occasionally. ... For he cannot go on happily for long, unless he is in contact with the springs of spiritual life which are hidden in the depths of this own true soul."
The "springs of spiritual life" are the very source of the strength we need in carrying on Prabhupada's mission.
No matter the quality and quantity of our external duties and services, we must find time to bathe in these streams of nectar. If we don't, we succumb to the waves of material nature in the forms of politics, duplicity, lust, anger, and greed.
You will never find interior solitude unless you make some conscious effort to deliver yourself from the desires and the cares and the attachments of an existence in time and in the world.
This sounds pretty familiar, right? The less we attach to the external factors in our lives, the more time and focus we'll have on our real business, which is to revive our dormant love and affection for Krsna, the very love and affection which is the only way to disentangle ourselves from the false banyan tree of the material world, to return to the real tree of the eternal spiritual world.
Note that the word 'alienation' is used by non-existentialists to support the fictions of collective life. For them the 'alienated' man is the one who is not at peace in the general myth. He is the non-conformist; the oddball who does not agree with everybody else and who disturbs the pleasant sense of collective rightness. For the existentialist, the alienated man is the one who, though 'adjusted' to society, is alienated from himself. The inner life of the mass man, alienated and leveled in the existential sense, is a dull collective routine of popular fantasies maintained in existence by the collective dreams that goes on , without interruption, in the mass media.
In relation to the deep compassionate practice of the spreading of the Holy Name, it is our duty as devotees to alleviate the inner void of the "mass man", by filling it with the real truth, the deep, boundless bliss of Krsna consciousness.
We live in a "fast food" culture, so we can dovetail this propensity by giving as many souls as we can the quickest and easiest way to self-realization: the sacred sound of the Holy Name.
Merton and other examples like Francis of Assisi showed by their living example the proper mix of deep internal prayer and realization with active and bold preaching of God's living word and glory. Of course, there is also our Prabhupada.
The purely hermetic life is not for us as devotees, at least not until we have reached advanced stages of age and advancement. Without our inspired outreach of the Holy Name, we are not pleasing Prabhupada, but without developing our own inner attachment to the Holy Name, we will not have the strength and ability to please Prabhupada by this outreach.
All the deep contemplation we require in our spiritual existence is condensed in the sound of the Holy Name. There's no need to remove ourselves from society. All our heart and souls craves is there if we can just listen deeply to the sound of the Holy Name.
Posted by Christopher Fici at 8:00 AM
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
TCONNECT is a high performance Wi-Fi network being deployed throughout TTC subway stations, platforms and mezzanines. With 34 stations currently online, our network encompasses the system's 'Lower U', as well as numerous stations on the TTC's Bloor-Danforth line. Launched in December 2013 with a mission to meet the growing needs of Toronto transit riders, TCONNECT's high capacity network accommodates tens of thousands of users daily as they make their way through Toronto's transit system. With new stations coming online every few weeks, the TCONNECT Wi-Fi network will be enabled throughout the subway system by mid-2017.
TCONNECT, is an advertiser sponsored Wi-Fi network that is FREE to TTC subway riders and allows access to the internet, including: Email, social media, and real-time transit updates. Connecting is easy for TTC subway riders, who simply select SSID: 'TCONNECT' in the Wi-Fi settings of their wireless device, open their internet browser and click "Connect" on the TCONNECT home page.
Click here to subscribe to our roll-out updates.
BAI Canada manages the exclusive contract with the TTC to deploy and operate wireless communications networks, including cellular and Wi-Fi services, throughout the underground TTC subway system used by more than 1.7 million riders daily. BAI Canada is part of BAI Communications, A group of global experts who are leaders in designing, building and operating highly accessible communications networks – broadcast, radio, cellular, Wi-Fi and digital – for customers across Australia, Asia and North America. Another BAI subsidiary, RFE, based in Hong Kong, has 20+ years of experience in engineering and maintaining wireless networks in underground transit environments; having successfully completed multi-carrier DAS systems in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.
Closer to home, the Transit Wireless team continues to work with one of the world's largest and busiest subway systems, the New York MTA. Upon completion, this remarkable project will achieve wireless network connectivity to more than five million NYC underground subway riders each day.


text:
My boyfriend, Adelbert and I had some nice time together earlier. After we went to our dentist, we go straight to the mall to window shop and have some snack (slash) dinner :) We both want pasta and pizza, so we decided to try Pizza Hut's New Tuscani Pizza!
We choose our pasta first... Aglio Olio Pasta (left image) for me and Spaghetti Al Pesto (right image) for Adelbert, I know it's a lot! I think these pasta are good for up to two person each. Aglio Olio is spaghetti in extra virgin olive oil with anchovies (I haven't seen any anchovies, I think it's just flavorings), garlic and fresh basil. The pasta is good, very firm noodles, simple looking but very flavorful, it has bits of chili peppers that's why it's a bit spicy and it's a little fishy be sure to freshen your breath after :)! Spaghetti Al Pesto is a traditional pesto pasta with black olives and almond flakes. I taste it a bit, noodles is also very firm and very rich pesto sauce! You can taste Aglio Olio for just 99.00php or $2.36, while Spaghetti Al Pesto for 129.00php or $3.07.
For pizza, we tried 3-Cheese Bacon & Spinach Tuscani Pizza, it has bacon, spinach, Béchamel sauce, with 3 kinds of cheeses - mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar. It's available in Medium 10" which is 329.00php or $7.83 and Super Family 14" that you can have at 519.00php or $12.36. Tuscani Pizza is Pizza Hut's new offering, it's thinner crust, fuller flavor. Indeed it is, the thin crust pizza we like, slightly crispy outside and soft on the inside. It's our first time to taste spinach :) at nasa pizza pa! The spinach and bacon combination is perfect, the cheeses and crust are great team!!!
Adelbert got Blue Blast (it's a dew with non-alco wild fruit flavor and with real pineapple chunks) for his drink while I had a glass of Pepsi!
Treat yourself a Pizza Hut Tuscani Pizza and surely you'll enjoy it. It has five different Pizzas that you can choose from. Check out the images below for detailed description of each Tuscani Pizzas and their corresponding prices.
My Rating for Pizza Hut's Tuscani Pizza (5 ✰ is the highest)
Taste ✰✰✰✰✰ Price ✰✰✰
Pizza Hut
For menu, branches and more info: http://www.pizzahut.com.ph
* * *


text:
- Who We Are
- What We Do
- What We Care About
- What You Can Do
A new report that looks at the period from 2000 to 2012 shows that while there is more rental property now than before, people are also paying more of their income towards rent.
The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard new report – America's Rental Housing: Evolving Markets and Needs – reveals that half of all renters spend more than 30% of all their income on rent, 12% more than a decade ago. Additionally, households with a severe housing cost burden (paying more than 50% of their income towards housing) have increased to 27% of renters from 19% a decade ago.
Skyrocketing demand for rental housing has resulted in the highest rental rates seen in a decade and the highest rates for 25-34 year olds since the 70's. The increase in rates is having a disproportionate effect on low-income households as almost half of the nation's renters make below $30,000, 22% of which earn below $15,000.
Exacerbating this is the fact that not only is new rental construction usually priced for households earning at least $42,000 but of the rental properties that existed in 2001, 12.8% of the most affordable rentals (under $400/month) had been demolished by 2011.
The squeeze is felt on both ends as national real median rents increased by 6% from 2000 to 2012 and, over the same period, the real median income of renters dropped by 13%.
These finding demonstrate the need to seriously address rental housing and affordable housing policy at the local, state and national levels.
Read the full report - America's Rental Housing: Evolving Markets and Needs.


text:
James Bond's Psyche
The personality profile of the Dark Triad
Posted Jul 06, 2010
Granted, Bond is a fictional character (Jared DeFife is spot-on when he notes that psychologists love analyzing fictional characters). But double agents do exist. And so do ordinary people who have the Bond psyche, or least have it at their disposal and can turn it on and off depending on their goals.
But what exactly is the Bond psyche? Dr. Jonason and his colleagues have referred to the Dark Triad- the combination of Machiavellianism, sublinical narcissism, and subclinical psychopathy- as a "James Bond psychology". And in a recent paper called "Who is James Bond?: The Dark Triad as an agentic social style", they set out to determine the "particular constellation of personality traits and behaviors [that] enable those high on the Dark Triad to maneuver themselves into relationships with others and take advantage of others[.]"
While acknowledging that clinical levels of the Dark Triad traits are certainly socially undesirable, Dr. Jonason and his colleagues argue that the traits that underlie the Dark Triad, which are partially independent but moderately related to one another, are best viewed as one particular social orientation towards others and may facilitate people's goals, especially when those goals involve an exploitative social strategy and a short-term mating strategy.
Across two studies, they found that those scoring high on the Dark Triad are characterized by a distinct psychological profile of personality traits and social strategies.
In their first study, they found that those scoring high on the Dark Triad tended to be more extraverted, open to experience, and have higher self-esteem. They also tended to be less agreeable, neurotic, and conscientious. According to the researchers, the findings
"are consistent with the possibility that the Dark Triad traits reflect a highly selfish social strategy. High level of self-esteem, extraversion, and openness, along with low levels of conscientiousness and anxiety, may be instrumental in enabling an exploiter to persist in the face of potential social rejection and retaliation."
In their second study, they assessed self-reported altruism and had participants allocate dollar amounts to themselves and others across a number of scenarios. Based on the allocation patterns, participants were identified as either prosocial, a competitor, or individualist. They found that those high on the Dark Triad tended to be individualistic and competitive. Those high on the Dark triad, however, weren't particularly altruistic or prosocial. This is interesting, because as the authors note, the Dark triad may reflect a self-serving strategy that might not necessarily involve being unaltruistic or prosocial.
The researchers conclude that
"In a world where individuals want to avoid being taken advantage of, those high on the Dark Triad, like James Bond, who tend to be more agentic than others, have a particularly difficult task at hand. How to get what they want without rousing the suspicions or retaliations of others? The answer is to be extraverted, open, high on self-esteem, and low on conscientiousness and anxiety while being individualistic and competitive."
As the researchers note, it's possible for people to have multiple social strategies at their disposal, one agentic and measured by the Dark Triad, and one prososocial, measured with altruistic behavior, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Flexibility is key here, as there certainly are times when an altruistic, cooperative orientation is essential (e.g., when forming meaningful reciprocal relationships) and times when you may want to adopt an agentic social strategy (e.g., when you want to hold your ground on your beliefs and maintain your self-respect and/or in risky situations that require successfully bouncing back from setbacks).
According to the researchers,
"It is possible that while people are inclined to utilize one strategy versus the other, individuals may have both strategies at their disposal (Hawley, 1999), and the adoption of each strategy depends on the situation and individual trigger points. Such a position has been advocated by those interested in adaptive individual differences (e.g., Buss, 1999) and trait activation theory (e.g., Lievens, Chasteen, Day, & Christensen, 2006)."
I do have to hand it to Bond; after I flipped my collar and gave him my most intimidating stare-down, he remained cool as a cucumber. Man he is cool.
© 2010 by Scott Barry Kaufman
Buss, D.M. (1999). Human nature and individual differences: The evolution of human personality. In L.A. Pervin & O.P. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (2nd ed.)(pp. 31-56). New York, NY: Guilford.
Hawley, P.H. (1999). The ontogenesis of social dominance: A strategy-based evolutionary perspective. Developmental Review, 19, 97-132.
Jonason, P.K., Li, N.P., & Teicher, E.A. (2010). Who is James Bond?: The Dark Triad as an agentic social style. Individual Differences Research, 8, 111-120.
Jonason, P.K.. Li, N.P., Webster, G.W., & Schmitt, D.P. (2009). The Dark Triad: Facilitating short-term mating in men. European Journal of Personality, 23, 5-18.
Lievens, F., Chasteen, C.S., Day, E.A., & Christensen, N.D. (2006). Large-scale investigation of the role of trait activation theory for understanding assessment center convergent and discriminant validity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 247-258.


text:
Glendale, CA (PRWEB) August 12, 2013
Audio-Digest Foundation Announces the Release of Obstetrics/Gynecology Volume 60, Issue 10: Preterm Birth.
The goal of this program is to improve diagnosis and treatment of preterm labor. After hearing and assimilating this program, the clinician will be better able to:
1. Illustrate normal mechanisms of human parturition.
2. Review the major causes and mechanisms of preterm birth.
3. Identify and manage patients at risk for preterm birth.
4. Design and implement institutional and imaging guidelines for cervical-length screening, follow-up, and treatment during pregnancy.
5. Explain the hypothesized genomic and nongenomic mechanisms of action of exogenous progesterone for prevention of preterm birth.
The original programs were presented by Errol R. Norwitz, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
Audio-Digest Foundation, the largest independent publisher of Continuing Medical Education in the world, records over 10,000 hours of lectures every year in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, family practice, gastroenterology, general surgery, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, otolaryngology, pediatrics, psychology, and urology, by the leading medical researchers at the top laboratories, universities, and institutions.
Recent researchers have hailed from Harvard; Cedars-Sinai; Mayo Clinic; UCSF; The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine; The University of Kansas Medical Center; The University of California, San Diego; The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine; The University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and many others.
Out of these cutting-edge programs, Audio-Digest then chooses the most clinically relevant, edits them for clarity, and publishes them either every week or every two weeks.
In addition, Audio-Digest publishes subscription series in conjunction with leading medical societies: DiabetesInsight with The American Diabetes Association, ACCEL with The American College of Cardiology, Continuum Audio with The American Academy of Neurology, and Journal Watch Audio General Medicine with Massachusetts Medical Society.
For 60 years, the global medical community of doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other medical professionals around the world has subscribed to Audio-Digest specialty series in order to remain current in their specialties as well as to maintain their Continuing Education requirements with the most cutting-edge, independent, and unbiased continuing medical education (CME).
Long a technical innovator, Audio-Digest was the first to produce audio medical education programs and the first to produce in-car medical education. Currently, its subscription and annual products are available on CD and MP3, as well as iPhone, iPad, and Android apps.


text:
Every new innovation has a potential to change lives. Relying on the usefulness of invention, there will be incredible impact in the coming generation. The developer should obtain due credit score and should have the ability to shield his/her suggestions. Businesses will certainly grow if they are able to protect their rights to the full prospective level. The support supplied by knowledgeable service provider will certainly make a wonderful difference. visit this site
Development services
Your innovation ideas will be taken ahead by the distinct service provider. The sources that you will obtain gain access to from the website consist of license info, newsletter archive, invention facts, new creation suggestions and practical links.
It is very much important to select a trusted companion to obtain assistance in protection of your innovations. A business system with greater than 30 years of experience as well as which played instrumental role in helping greater than 8000 companies will be able to supply terrific solutions. my review here
Inventhelp succeeds in signing up more than 9000 licenses of different clients. The company offers license referrals to customers. Business will certainly refer you to an independent patent attorney to make sure that your needs will be met in the very best feasible means. You will get suggestions on steps that you must require to defense your suggestions.
If you have an idea regarding a new item as well as do unknown the best ways to progress, you ought to get aid from Inventhelp to make sure that your demands will be satisfied in the best possible means.
You could experience the Online Innovation Discussion (VIP) which contains 3D renderings and also computer-generated computer animation. The presentation will highlight the major function of the originality or innovation. Audiences will certainly have the ability to comprehend the efficiency of the suggestion
Your creation will certainly experience 3D computer animation. Premium video clip will certainly be created as well as it will be sent out to numerous companies to ensure that interested celebrations will call you. In this process, your concept will certainly move right into the next degree and also it will certainly be emerged soon with the help of reputed enrollers.
Discussion of the idea.
The idea will be very clear in a creator's mind. However, it should exist in a very effective method to make sure that customers will certainly have the ability to regard it effectively. By using best type of tools, the suggestion will exist in the very best feasible means. The 3D prototype model will certainly be useful for creators. By subscribing to the solution, you will get a 3D visualization of your idea.
You could go through the thorough steps in the creation of 3D visualization to ensure that there will not be any kind of problems. The visualization can be accomplished in four straightforward steps. These steps include development illustration, expert image, 3-D CAD Drawing, and prototype model. Prototype designs are created using 3D printers. Physical objects are built by executing Molten Deposition Modeling (FDM). Resilient acrylnitrile butadiene styrene (ABDOMINAL) plastic is utilized and also product will be prepared through the layer by layer enhancement.
You could break out information concerning license development as well as pertinent suggestions by registering your name and e-mail address with InventHelp.


text:
Get a free comparative market analysis of your home's worth sent to you with no obligations.
Search for a Home
What's Your Home Worth?
Area Entertainment
New to the Houston / Clear Lake Area? If so, you will be delighted to discover some of our famous attractions. Some of these include:Nasa
Kemah Boardwalk
Armand Bayou Nature Center
Galveston Tourism / The Strand
Sellers Resources
Mobile App
Search properties on the go
Download my free mobile app
For iOS and Android
Helping You Find YOUR Space!
Serving The Houston, Texas Area And More!
A home is not a home because of its room dimensions or the color of the walls...
It is about how you feel when you walk through the front door, and the way you can instantly envision your life unfolding there!
Ever asked yourself..
"Now What" ?
Good News...
There is help!!!
"Now What" ?
Good News...
There is help!!!
For a "Hassel Free" and Confidential Consultation...
about how we can help YOU find the Home of your Dreams,
call: 713-398-1073.
Thinking about selling your home?
Need to know how much it might sell for?
Call: 713-398-1073
or email me at : [email protected]


text:
If Twitter traffic can be any indicator of a person's level of happiness, then tweeters in Denver are the most joyful in the United States, followed closely by Los Angeles.
"The Twitter Happiness Report" was recently published by a social media evaluation firm named Brandwatch. They attempted to measure Twitter users emotions through their tweets.
According to the report, denizens of Denver had the most positive feelings over the course of a day, sending more than five positive tweets for every one negative one. Colorado in general had the second highest ratio of good days compared to bad days, only behind Georgia.
Regionally, Colorado and points westward had the highest number of positive tweets at 2.87 per negative tweet. The South was right on the West's heels at 2.75 positive tweets per negative one.
On the global scale, residents of Australia appear to be the happiest people on Twitter because they are three times more likely to tweet something positive for every one time they tweet something negative.
The report also found that men and women convey emotions in tweets differently as well. Men tweet something positive about their day 2.57 times per every one negative tweet, and women tweeted a positive remark about their day 1.94 times for every one negative tweet.
Women were more likely to use extreme language to describe their current state like, "love life" or "hate life," whereas men use a little more generic descriptors like "good day" or "bad day," when tweeting, according to the report.
"This report only scratches the surface of understanding the ways in which we express emotions online," study leader James Lovejoy, content researcher at Brandwatch, told KDVR television in Denver. "Researching emotion presents a number of complex challenges. For example, this study can't possibly identify the actual emotions that Twitter authors are experiencing or the extent to which they are experiencing it. However, we can be certain that behind every Tweet, post and conversation, there is some genuine emotion driving it."
Measuring people's level of happiness is an inexact science at best, but the annual Gallup and Healthways Well-Being Index conducted last year gives some credence to the notion that Coloradans are generally happy people.
According to the poll, 189 metropolitan areas were surveyed and that produced over 178,000 interviews with Americans. The categories for interviews were spread across six subsections and attempted to answer questions that related to topics like life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities.
Boulder, Colo and Fort Collins, Colo. finished second and third respectively, only losing out to the Provo-Orem area in Utah. Denver finished 18th in the Gallup poll. California was the only other state to have three metropolitan areas in the top twenty.
On the other side of the coin, according to the Twitter Happiness Report, citizens of Louisville, Kentucky. and Fort Worth, Texas, were the most negative tweeters. Residents of Louisville and Fort Worth only tweeted something positive less than two-and-a-half times per every negative tweet.
The outpouring of negativity from these cities was not reflected in the bottom quintile of the Gallup poll representing cities whose residents had a host of issues with their quality of life. The most negative feedback for a metropolitan area came from the neighboring cities of Huntington, West Virginia, and Ashland, Kentucky.


text:
Join us! Nintendo Enthusiast Forums
Log in
Sign up
Xbox One
PS Vita
Film & Movies
Japanese Games
Virtual Reality
More topics
Pregame Discharge
All videos
Megami Tensei Retrospective: Persona 2 IS
on 04.07.2008 (server time)
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Persona 2: Innocent Sin is another gem that, for some obscure reason, have never been released in North America. Like Square did for many Final Fantasy titles in the US, Atlus skipped Innocent Sin and only released its sequel Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. This doesn't make any sense because those two games are strongly linked together. Although it is possible to understand the story by only playing Eternal Punishment, the experience is much more enjoyable if you play Innocent Sin before. When starting an Eternal Punishment game, you can even load your Innocent Sin save data to get extra stuff. For example, in Innocent Sin, at a certain point in the game, you can fight a secret boss that will give you a special ring. Then, in Eternal Punishment, you can use that ring to create a secret Persona. Since North America doesn't have Innocent Sin, it's impossible to get that extra stuff, which is quite disappointing.
I guess the main reason why they didn't release Innocent Sin is because there are tons of references to Nazis and Hitler into the game. Nowadays, being saturated with World War II games, not releasing a game because of Nazis elements sounds kinda lame, but I guess that 10 years ago, talking about that kind of stuff in videogames was taboo. At that time, Japanese developers seemed reticent to release controversial games that might offend Western gamers. I guess that's why games like Xenogears took so long to come out. They could just have edited that Nazi part out by calling them "The army of Death" or something�c That would have been cheesy as hell, but that's better than nothing!
It is such a shame that Innocent Sin never came out in North America, because it is such a great game, especially thanks to its game mechanics. In this game, everything is based on the mechanic of rumors becoming reality. It starts with a rumor saying that if you call yourself on your cell phone, a joker will appear to grant your wishes. However, this joker happens to be sucking up people's dreams which put them into some sort of comatose state and gradually kills them. This joker seems to feel some kind of hate against Tatsuya, Eikichi and Lisa, the main characters of the game, because they committed a sin they can't remember (or don't want to remember). With their Persona power granted by Philemon, Tatsuya and his friends decides to go on an adventure to resolve the mystery revolving around the joker. Because of the rumors becoming reality, the story becomes completely over the top with neo Nazis and crazy stuff going around.
The goal of the rumor system is not only to make the game progress; it's a complete gameplay element. For example, after talking to NPCs in town, you hear three different rumors about a restaurant selling weapons. One says that they sell crappy weapons for cheap, another says that they sell normal weapons for a normal price, and the last one says that they sell great weapons for a very high price. Then, you can pay a detective agency to spread the rumor corresponding to your needs. Afterward, the rumor will become reality.
You got to be careful, because any kind of rumor can become reality. Like in the first Persona, you have to communicate with demons to collect tarot cards. After accumulating a certain amount of cards, you can create Personas in the Velvet Room. One day, when I was farming for cards in a dungeon, a conversation turned really bad. After a demon told me he heard that my best weapon was actually crap, he ran away to spread the rumor. A few minutes later, my best weapon actually became completely useless�c
This seems like an annoying game mechanic, but it is actually very rare that such bad things happen. Like in the first game, personas are the main focus of battle, so you don't really need good weapons to survive. Personas still have 8 levels, so you have to grind a little bit to get the best of them. Since it's a lot easier to max them out, instead of sticking with the same personas continually like I did in Persona 1, I ended up using new personas after every dungeons. This makes the game much more addictive, and since I can exchange maxed out personas for rare items, I never felt like I worked for nothing.
Since I ended up with more than 100 hours of playtime, I realized that it still takes a while to max out personas. But since the battle system is much more enjoyable, I didn't felt like I spent that much time grinding. I actually was surprised of my playtime. In Persona 2: Innocent Sin, all the fights are in auto-battle mode. After choosing each character's action, they do the fighting automatically. If you need to heal or are not satisfied with your battle strategy, you can pause the battle anytime and change the settings. By choosing the right combination of attacks, you can even create special attacks with your personas. Thanks to this auto-attack system, battles are fast paced, and with the right attack pattern, you can go through dungeons easily.
Plus, those dungeons are some of the most original dungeons that I've ever seen. You will fight in a CD store, in a gym, at the Arcades, and in many other colorful settings. I don't know what it is, but there's something appealing about fighting my way through a shopping mall infested with demons. This feeling is similar to when I was playing Earthbound on the SNES; since you can somehow relate to the environments of the game, it triggers a reminiscent feeling.
Also, since we all experienced high school life, we can also relate to Tatsuya, Eikichi and Lisa, three of the main characters of the game. There are tons of other characters in the game, and they all have a specific back-story and development. Since it takes place a few years after that game, some characters from the first Persona make their apparition in Persona 2: Innocent Sin. We even get to know who Philemon, the guy who gives you the power to use personas, really is. For Megaten fans, there are some cameos hidden in the game, For example, in one of the stores, there is a guy wearing the uniform of the school in Shin Megami Tensei If�c
If you pay a close attention to the surroundings, you can find many little interesting details. For example, in Maya's apartment, if you flip the camera to the right angle, you can find a TV set with a Playstation. In the Bikini Line store, on the vendor's desk, you can see a pack of a popular cigarette brand in Japan. It's interesting to see that, at that time, this kind of advertising was perfectly politically correct, and that nowadays it's completely unthinkable.
It's those little details that make the graphics rich and beautiful. Except for the map of the city, the game is completely in 3D with 2D character sprites, similar to Xenogears or Disgaea. When you talk to NPCs, most of them have a portrait, which is quite impressive considering the huge quantity of characters in the game. Lisa, one of the main characters, is actually a gaijin. When you go to her house, you can meet her father. Since her father is a complete Japan freak but cool at the same time, his portrait is a perfect copy of Steven Seagal. I know it's kind of a prejudice toward gaijins, but I thought it was hilarious.
The graphics looks gorgeous for their time, and it's pretty much the best that can be done on a PSOne. They finally threw away the archaic first person view and replaced it with smooth third person controls. You can run in any direction you want and, compared to Persona 3, flip the camera angle anytime you want. It may sounds like nothing but, it's actually a big step in the evolution of the Megaten series.
This game has a great story, great graphics, great character development, and an addictive gameplay. It has everything I want in an RPG and even more. If you want to try Persona 2: Innocent Sin but can't read Japanese, some fans made a really great English translation of the script of that game. This script can also be used as a walkthrough. You can find it at
Like SquareEnix, Atlus tend to rerelease their games all the time to do as much money as they can. Therefore, if we show enough interest in the Persona series, who knows; we might see a PSP rerelease or something. Anyway, don't miss my next article in which I will embed videos showing off my level 99 team wiping out everything with the strongest personas in the game. I will also show some secret stuff.
This is a video of Hitomi singing kimi no tonari, the main song of the game. She wrote the lyrics and made the melody. She is a cancer survivor, so I'm glad she's doing fine today. The modern sound of the soundtrack of Persona 3 is nice, but we don't hear those heartwarming songs anymore nowadays. Just hearing the melody of that song gives me the chills.
to vote this up!
make a quick account (free)
to view and post comments.
Login with Twitter
Login with Dtoid
Three day old threads are only visible to verified humans - this helps our small community management team stay on top of spam
Sorry for the extra step!
About tehlvler
one of us since 6:40 PM on 03.09.2008
Hey, I'm
. Welcome to my blog!
I've been reading blogs and listening to podcasts on podtoid for a while now, and I thought I might enjoy this website even more if I started my own blog.
I'm a retro-gamer, so I will mostly write about old games. I will also write about stuff unrelated to video games that might interest you.
English is not my native language, but I don't want to use this fact as an excuse for my poor English. Therefore, if I make English mistakes, please let me know and I will be glad to correct it.
Why the name "teh_lvler"?
Well, one of the things that I like the most in video games is to grind for endless hours to see my stats raise and hoping that I will eventually get to lvl 99. For that reason, I wanted to create a nickname that reflects the complete nonsense and the stupidity of my hobby.
What's up with your blog header?
The first RPG that I ever own was Final Fantasy II (IV), so for me, there's a very nostalgic feel to it. I still have the cartridge somewhere in my closet, but the save battery died a long time ago. In my own opinion, because of its bright and colorful manga-ish style, it's one of the most beautiful games of the Final Fantasy series. That's why I decided to incorporate some monsters and characters of that game in my blog header.
Not much because of the gameplay, but mostly because of the awesome music and art style, Castlevania is one of my favorite series. That's why I decided to use the background of the first stage of Dracula X and a picture of Aria of Sorrow.
When I was living in Japan, people couldn't pronounce my French name, so instead of calling me Mathieu, they were calling me Machu. For that reason, I created a name using Chinese characters that sounded like "Machu". The meaning of those two characters is "demonic alcohol" or something like that. Since studying Asian languages is also part of my life, I decided to put it on my front header.
Follow tehlvler
Around the Community


text:
Hull Art Pottery Vase USA R-11-7-R Small Jug*Pink with Dogwood Flowers
Sold for:
Start Free Trial
or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Sold Date:
- Source: eBay
You are bidding on a beautiful "Hull Art"Pottery Vase, USA R-11-7-R. It is a Small Pink Jug with Dogwood Flowers in white and green leaves.
This is a very pretty handled jug in excellent condition without any damages. No cracks, chips or crazing. Item measures 7 ¼" tall x 4" diameter.Item has been stored inside a smoke free environment with a cat. I have other items up for sale and can combine ship. PLEASE read my "Return Policy Details" before buying or bidding on my items. You are buying with confidence when you deal with me as I have a "no questions asked" return guarantee. See shipping below. No handling charge! Feel free to email me with any questions. Thanks for viewing.


text:
37th BCS Preliminary Result
Bangladesh Public Service Commission BPSC Just Published Preliminary Exam Result for 37 BCS Examination. 37th BCS Preliminary Result are given below.
If you Face any Difficulty to Search Your BCS Result you can Search it easy by Mobile Phone SMS System To Search by SMS Follow the Instruction below.
First Go to Your Mobile Phone SMS Option and Type-
BCS<space>37<space>Registration Number and Send to 16222
Example: BCS 37 1523112 and Send to 16222
Download 37 BCS Preliminary Exam Result
37th BCS Seat Plan
Update: Applicant Must be Report at Exam Venue/ Hall within 8:20 AM to 8:55 AM.
Bangladesh Public Service Commission has been Published the Details Seat Plan for 37 BCS Preliminary Exam. 37th BCS Details seat Plan for All Exam Center are given below with Detailed Notice.
37th BCS Preliminary Examination will be held on 30 September 2016. Preliminary Exam will be Started from 9.30 AM and it will be Continued up to 11 AM in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur Center.
Applicants are now searching Preliminary Seat Plan. Bangladesh Public Service Commission BPSC has not been Published the Seat Plan yet.
After Published the Seat Plan examresult24.com will be published it as early as possible. You May Search Bangladesh Public Service Commission Official Website www.bpsc.gov.bd for update information.
Bangladesh Public Service Commission BPSC will be Published the BCS Preliminary Examination Seat Plan on their Official Website www.bpsc.gov.bd.
37th BCS Preliminary Exam Related Notice are given below.
You can visit the Official Website of Bangladesh Public Service Commission regularly if you are interested. If you want to Keep your eyes on examresult24.com , you are most welcome here. We will be trying to best of us to Update yourself about 37th BCS Examination including Seat Plan, BCS Result and Others Related Information.
If you are not download your Admit Card yet, You can download your Preli Admit Card from teletalk Server www.bpsc.teletalk.com.bd
All the Best All of You…