Question: “With gas prices over $3 per gallon, we’re hearing grumbling from our road warriors that they need a higher per-mile reimbursement rate. We’re already above the IRS guidance. What are other organizations doing to cope with the rising price of gas?”—Trey, SLC

Question: “When I started working here, there were four people in the HR department. Now there’s just one—me! There's too much work for one employee. Now my employer has told me I can’t work overtime, but still have to get all my work done. I feel like I have to work overtime with no pay or else lose my job. Other than quitting, do I have any options?”—Michele, CA

Question: "As classes start up again this fall, we're looking at how much we spend to reimburse employees for college and technical courses they take. Senior management is happy to offer this benefit, but we wonder what's the standard for:

• "How much (on a percentage basis) we should reimburse.

• "The kinds of courses we should offer to reimburse.

"What do your policies say? Are there other issues to consider as we review our policy?" -- Gerry, Indianapolis

Question: "Does anyone have a formal policy preventing employees from using vacation/paid time off leave in the time between announcing their resignation and the actual quitting day? It can be really hard to do the necessary "knowledge dump"  if the person spends much of his or her final two weeks on vacation. What policies do you set?" — C.P. Cotter, Colorado

Question: "What are the pros and cons of a comprehensive paid-time-off (PTO) leave plan, compared to one that has separate accruals for vacation, sick and personal days? My company is considering changing, and we need to know the advantages and disadvantages of going with PTO." -- P.T., Tucson

Question: “We’re revisiting our health plan, and are looking at when new employees should be eligible for coverage. Insurance companies we’ve spoken to say we can sign people up for coverage after the first full month of employment. A couple of executives think we should let employees sign up only after they have completed our 90-day introductory period. The company will be paying half the employees’ premiums. How long should an employee be on the payroll before becoming eligible for company-paid health insurance?” -- Evey, New York

Question: My company president and I are having a disagreement about what's legitimate use of sick leave. He thinks employees should only take sick leave when they themselves are sick. I believe it's also okay for employees to use it for doctor's appointments and caring for their sick children. What do your sick leave policies cover? Do you spell out when it's appropriate for employees to use sick leave?  -- T.C., Delaware