Workers who sue on the grounds of alleged time and attendance legislation violations are responsible for paying their employer's legal fees if they lose the case, according to a precedent-setting decision by the California Court of Appeal.

The union representing many of Bexar County, Texas' law enforcement officials recently filed suit against the county over payroll deductions.

A bill that is currently pending in the California State Senate would require mandatory breaks and minimum wage pay to be given to all domestic employees, including nannies, housekeepers and babysitters.

Employers are not required by federal time and attendance law to offer employees short rest periods during the work day.

A recently released Small Business Authority survey indicates that more than two-thirds of small businesses do not anticipate engaging in employee recruiting over the next 12 months.

A federal judge recently approved a $1.5 million overtime employee attendance settlement to more than 1,200 employees of pest-control company Terminix, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Two former police officers are suing the town of Alexander, Arkansas, for unpaid overtime, vacation time and holiday pay, according to The Associated Press.

The costs associated with a lawsuit over time and attendance pay can sink a small business. Despite this, violations of the wage and hour provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act are common among startups.

Houston-based Mostyn Law Firm, which has offices throughout Southeast Texas, was recently sued by one of its paralegals for allegedly violating overtime provisions set by the Fair Labor Standards Act.