WisEmployment.com Blog

On November 12, 2008 The city of Milwaukee published an ordinance on mandatory sick leave for employees. All Milwaukee employers must be in compliance to the ordinance by Feb. 10, 2009, 90 days after the ordinance was published.

The ordinance states that for every 30 hours worked, the employee earns 1 hour of paid sick leave to be used for a variety of things including, an employee’s or a family member’s mental or physical illness, injury or health condition or need for medical diagnosis, care or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition or preventive medical care. Also included are abasense necessary due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, provided the leave is to: seek medical attention for the employee or employee’s child, spouse, parent, grandparent or extended member of the family to to recover from physical or psychological injury or disability caused by the domestic or sexual violence, or obtain services from a victim services organization; or obtain psychological or other counseling; or seek relocation due to the domestic or sexual violence or stalking; or take legal action, including preparing for or participating in any civil or criminal legal proceeding related to or resulting from the domestic or sexual violence. A family member is defined by the ordinance as: a child, parent, spouse or registered domestic partner under the Milwaukee municipal code, sibling (biological, foster or adopted), spouse of a sibling grandparent, grandchild, and any other individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.

BizTimes reproter Alysha Schertz recently asked five local Milwaukee attorneys about the new mandate. For more information on the legal guidelines for Milwaukee employers, see the BizTimes website.

It is customary to think of gifts as having no tax consequences for the recipient, the Internal Revenue Code (Code) does not treat all gifts the same.

Keep the following rules of thumb in mind when giving out end of the year or holiday gifts.

• Nominal Value gifts such as a ham, turkey, gift basket or other tangible item is typically not considered wages and is not taxable. Nominal value is typically under $25.
• Gift Certificates or similar item that allows the employee to choose what they want to purchase is considered wages and is taxable.

For more information visit Littler Mendelson P.C. Employment and Labor Law Solutions Worldwide.

The new Wisconsin Employment Resource site WisEmployment.com went live on Dec 5. If you haven’t visited it already, please do so. We are adding resources to it weekly!