SmallBusinessNewz

Not too long ago, we touched on how it's nice when companies buy employees mobile equipment instead of making the matter a personal burden.  Now comes step two: not making employees use the equipment more than seems appropriate.

If people within a company agree to remain available outside their nine to five shifts, that's great - congratulations on having such a dedicated team.  Only, as Joseph Pisani points out, "[T]here are growing concerns that workers eligible for overtime pay, known as non-exempt employees, could begin suing their employers for overtime hours earned while tapping on their devices during after-work hours."

That's no reason to make everyone turn their laptops and BlackBerrys back in; after all, you probably don't keep the office doors locked until the start of the workday and then usher everyone out at the end.  It just might be wise to create or update a policy on the issue.

One option involves actually paying employees for their time, or at least building a small buffer into their normal workweek schedule.  Another involves asking employees to waive compensation for non-traditional work.  Or you could put them on salary, where hour-to-hour pay rules no longer apply.

Whatever your solution, there's no doubt that the economy is crazy enough without lawsuits adding to your problems.