Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border. U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of documents accepted by US Customs and Border Protection.

Human Resources FAQ's

The Department of Labor (DOL) administers and enforces more than 180 federal laws. These mandates and the regulations that implement them cover many workplace activities for about 10 million employers and 125 million workers. Below is a list of the most commonly asked questions:

WAGES, PAY AND BENEFITS

§ What is the minimum wage?

§ What is the minimum wage for workers who receive tips?

§ Must young workers be paid the minimum wage?

§ When are pay raises required?

§ Is extra pay required for weekend or night work?

§ How are vacation pay, sick pay, holiday pay computed and when are they due?

§ How is severance pay calculated and when is it pay due?

§ When must breaks and meal periods be given?

§ Are periodic performance evaluations required?

§ Can an employee be required to perform work outside of the employee's job description?

OVERTIME AND WORK HOURS

§ When is overtime due?

§ How many hours per day or per week can an employee work?

§ How many hours is full-time employment? How many hours is part-time employment?

§ When can an employee's scheduled hours of work be changed?

§ When is double time due?

§ Is extra pay required for weekend or night work?

RECORDKEEPING AND NOTICES

§ Are pay stubs required?

§ What notices must be given before an employee is terminated or laid off?

§ Who must get a W-2 form and how does an employee obtain one?

§ When employment is terminated, when must the employee receive his/her 401(k) contributions or profit-sharing?

§ How are unemployment benefits calculated?

§ How are worker's compensation benefits calculated?

§ When does an employee have to receive health insurance?

§ What happens to an employee's health insurance when employment is terminated?

CHILD LABOR

§ What is the youngest age at which a person can be employed?

§ Must young workers be paid the minimum wage?

§ What hours can youth work?

§ What kinds of work can youth perform?

§ Must a youth have a work permit to work?

ANDRADE NAMED INTERIM CHIAR OF TTC

Gov. Perry Names Andrade Interim Chair of Texas Transportation Commission

Small Business Banner

Gov. Rick Perry has named Esperanza "Hope" Andrade of San Antonio interim chair of the Texas Transportation Commission for a term to expire at the pleasure of the governor. The commission oversees the statewide activities of the Texas Department of Transportation. Andrade has served on the commission since 2003.

She was previously appointed by Gov. Perry to the Texas Turnpike Commission, which was merged into the Texas Department of Transportation. Andrade also served on Via Metropolitan Transit and the Free Trade Alliance.

Andrade, of San Antonio, has been in business since 1979 and remains actively involved in the day to day operations of the companies she has co-founded. Using her education from Our Lady of the Lake University and The University of Incarnate Word, Andrade built upon many valuable skills creating service-sector businesses. These skills were further enhanced by her participation in the Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

PRIVACY AND SECURITY

Most businesses collect and retain sensitive personal information from their customers and employees such as names, addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers and other account numbers. Protecting personal information not only makes good business sense, it can also help you avoid legal problems. Depending on the type of data you are collecting, and who you are collecting it from, you may be subject to federal and state privacy laws. This guide explains which privacy laws apply to your business and how to comply with them.

Understanding Privacy Laws
Learn how the Federal Trade Commission enforces companies' privacy policies about how they collect, use and secure consumers' personal information.
Identity Theft - Business Owner's Responsibilities
Learn how to protect your customers' personal information against identity theft, and your responsibilities when one of your customers becomes an identity theft victim.
Using Consumer Credit Reports
If your businesses uses credit reports to extend credit to your customers, there are rules and regulations you must follow to ensure privacy of credit information.
Privacy Rules for Financial Companies
From national banks to local mortgage lenders, any business that handles personal financial information must comply with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act.
Children's Online Privacy
Learn how the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act requires businesses to follow specific rules and regulations when collecting online data from children.
Computer and Information Security
Find out how to not only protect your company's computer systems, but the sensitive information contained in them.

BUSINESS TERM OF THE WEEK

NICHE MARKETING:

Concentrating all marketing efforts on a small but specific and well defined segment of the population. Niches do not 'exist' but are 'created' by identifying needs, wants, and requirements that are being addressed poorly or not at all by other firms, and developing and delivering goods or services to satisfy them. As a strategy, niche marketing is aimed at being a big fish in a small pond instead of being a small fish in a big pond.

Robert Alexander Eads
Vice President of Operations/Chief Operations Officer

Laredo Chamber of Commerce