REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT AND PAY EQUITY FACTORS IN COMPENSATION
This paper examines regulatory issues and pay equity factors in compensation management in the United States. The findings of the investigation are presented in four discussions, as follows: (a) federal laws and regulations; (b) internal equity; (c) external equity; and (d) internal and external pay competitiveness. The implications of the findings for the cable television industry are considered.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was first enacted in 1938. The most important elements of the FLSA are (a) requirements for overtime pay, (b) minimum wage, and (c) child labor. The law has been changes several times since its original enactment; however, the essential objectives of the law have remained intact (The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, As Amended, 2004). The FLST has direct effects on the cable television industry. In some areas of the country, the minimum wage provision of the FLSA affects cable television companies. In all areas of the country, the overtime pay and child labor provisions of the FLSA affect cable television companies.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted in 1993. The FMLA requires employers to grant employees family leave and medical leave (under specified conditions) without retaliation against employees. Prohibited acts of retaliation include discharge, demotion, changes in job specifications, and pay cuts. The FMLA does not require that employers pay employees who are granted leave within the context of the provisions of the FMLA (The Family and Medical Leave Act, 1993). The FMLA directly affect cable television companies across the nation.
From the perspective of human resource management, The Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is intended to assure that employees will not lose health insurance benefits when they change employers, nor will they be denied access to insur...