2026 Minimum Wage Rates by State
More than 20 states will have minimum wage increases that take effect in 2026, most on January 1st. See the comprehensive list here.
HR advice with Stratus
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Independent Contractor vs Employee: New Clarification
A recent court case reminds employers everywhere to review whether workers being paid as independent contractors should be considered employees.
Stacey Gibson, PHR, SHRM-SCP, Stratus HR Director of Human Resources
Nov 28, 2025
Employee Records: How Long Should You Keep Them?
With so many different employee records and retention timeframes, how do you know when it's safe to purge employee payroll and personal data?
Brad Fagergren, Esquire, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Stratus HR Legal Counsel
May 2, 2025
Federal Law Breakdown by 1+, 15+, 20+ Employee Threshold (and more)
Overwhelmed with trying to know which federal law applies to your company? Here's a quick summary of each law, broken down by company size.
Sam Yoshida, SHRM-CP, MHR, Stratus HR Consultant
Apr 3, 2025
Clocked In Workers Should Not Leave Premises: Employer Liability for Accidents on Paid Breaks
Without these 3 preventive steps, an employer may be liable for any accidents that occur to employees who leave company premises on a paid break.
Brad Fagergren, Esquire, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Stratus HR Legal Counsel
Jan 6, 2025
Who Is Exempt From Overtime Pay? Understanding Salary and Exemption Status
If you make more than the minimum exemption amount of $684/week, does that automatically mean you are exempt from earning overtime wages? See the...
Colin Thompson, Stratus HR Vice President - Human Resources
Nov 28, 2024
Federal Court Halts DOL’s Overtime Rule Regarding the Minimum Wage Exempt Employees Must Make
A federal judge shut down the DOL's latest overtime rule, reducing the total annual compensation requirement for exempt employees.
Colin Thompson, Stratus HR Vice President - Human Resources
Nov 26, 2024
Understanding the Differences with Salaried, Exempt, and Non-Exempt Employees
If an employee is salaried, does that automatically mean they are exempt from overtime? Or do they still need to track hours for overtime?
Colin Thompson, Stratus HR Vice President - Human Resources
Nov 21, 2024
Do You Have to Pay for Unapproved Overtime?
If managers must pre-approve overtime but an employee works overtime without permission, does the company have to pay for the unauthorized overtime...
Stacey Gibson, PHR, SHRM-SCP, Stratus HR Director of Human Resources
Nov 8, 2024
