Mainebiz

S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 / W O R K F O R M E 35 Hotels, restaurants and event spaces will continue to be at the heart of of Maine's tourism and conference businesses. With training, there is a wide range of careers available. S TA RT I N G O N T H E N E X T PAG E » 4 2 For workers, there's plenty of room at the inn Hotel and restaurant operators struggle to find enough staff. RETAIL H O S P I TA L I T Y / between 5 and 20 minutes in length are considered compensable work time. This means that the time an employee spends using the restroom, retrieving something from their car, or eating a quick snack should be on the clock and paid. Bona fide meal periods of about 30 minutes when the employee is completely relieved from work, however, do not need to be paid. Limit deductions from an employee's pay It happens: the cash drawer is short, equip- ment has been damaged, or a company uniform has been lost. Before you make up the difference by docking an employee's pay, know that this type of deduction is not permissible under Maine law. There are limited circumstances in which an employer can require deductions from an employee's pay, but making up for cash or inventory shortages, damage to company property, or missing uniforms with the company's name/logo are not allowed. Check that minors' work schedules comply with legal limitations In the busy season, double shifts and working late can be the norm. But employers hiring employees under age 18 must be mindful of restrictions under Maine law regarding work hours for minors — even when school is not in session. On non-school days, minors who are 16 or 17 years old generally may only work between 5 a.m. and midnight, up to 10 hours per day. The rules for employees under age 16 are more restrictive: generally, work is allowed only between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., up to 8 hours per day, when school is not in session. Of course, it is important to also review timesheets to make sure these (and other) labor laws for minors are being observed in practice as well. Keep managers out of the tip pool Tips belong to the employees who earn them, and if your workplace uses a tip pool, it is important to make sure those tips stay with those employees. Owners, managers, and supervisors are not permit- ted to take a share of a tip pool, regardless of whether an employer takes a tip credit. Even if a manager spends some time help- ing tipped workers (i.e., running food or bussing tables), they should not receive a distribution from the tip pool. n H o w t o

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