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New Wage and Hour Opinion Letters from the U.S. Department of Labor

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Applicable Employers under the FLSA and FMLA

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August 28, 2018

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recently issued six opinion letters related to compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The opinion letters are meant to provide clarity on employee rights and employer obligations as interpreted by the DOL.

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September Updates

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Varies

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Varies

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This Short List addresses the following topics:
  1. The DOL Created a New Department to Support Employer Compliance
  2. OFCCP Staff Must Account for Federal Contractors’ Religious Freedoms
  3. Federal Contractor Minimum Wage Increase for 2019
  4. Sixth Circuit: FLSA Does Not Invalidate Arbitration Agreements
  5. Eighth Circuit: USERRA Still Protects Employees Who Don’t Have Guaranteed Working Hours
  6. Ninth Circuit: Employers Can Prohibit Future Employment With Their Company
  7. California: Update to EDD Workplace Posting DE 1857A
  8. Massachusetts: Railway Unemployment Insurance Act Preempts Statewide Sick Leave
  9. New Jersey: New Bill Expands Ability to Claim Unemployment Insurance Benefits
  10. New Jersey: State and Federal Authorities Pledge Stronger Enforcement Against Misclassification
  11. New York City, NY: Anti-Sexual Harassment Poster and Fact Sheet Now Available
  12. South Carolina: Pregnancy Accommodations Poster Now Available
  13. Austin, Texas: The City’s Paid Sick Leave is On Hold – For Now
  14. Seattle, WA: New Employer Obligations for Domestic Workers

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OSHA Corrects Electronic Reporting Implementation – Employers in State Plan States Must Electronically Report Form 300A

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All Employers of 20-249 Employees in Specified Industries

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July 1, 2018

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The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently reviewed implementation of OSHA’s “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses” regulation.  The DOL determined that, under the Rule, affected employers are required to submit injury and illness data via OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application (“ITA”) online portal, even if the employer is covered by a state plan that has not yet completed its adoption of their own state rule.

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U.S. DOL Issues Several Guidance Documents Clarifying Wage and Hour Regulations

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All Employers

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April 6 and 12, 2018

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April has been a busy month for the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”).  The Wage and Hour Division issued a number of opinion letters, a bulletin, and a revised fact sheet addressing different employee pay practices, such as tip credits, travel time, and rest periods.  Employers should review the different letters for applicability to their workforce.

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U.S. DOL Announces New Payroll Audit Pilot Program

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All FLSA-Covered Employers

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Pending

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On March 6, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced a new pilot program: the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (“PAID”) program.  The PAID program’s primary objectives are to expedite resolution of wage and hour claims, improve employer FLSA compliance, and facilitate payment of back wages owed to employees. The PAID program will be administered by the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (“WHD”) and will be implemented for a trial period of six months.  At the end of the trial period, the WHD will evaluate the effectiveness of the program and determine if modifications are needed. The WHD has not yet announced when the program will start.

All FLSA-covered employers may voluntarily participate in the program, except those who are currently under investigation or engaged in litigation, acting in bad faith, or have committed repeat violations.  The PAID program is intended to help employers self-identify and correct non-compliant federal pay practices, such as misclassification issues, off-the-clock work, and failure to pay minimum wage or overtime. The PAID program may not resolve wage and hour violations of state law. If compensation issues are identified and employees voluntarily agree to resolve and release the specific wage and hour claims, employers must pay 100% of back pay owed, and may avoid liquidated damages, civil monetary damages, attorney’s fees, and other costs associated with litigation.

Employers interested in the PAID program can learn about how the program works and sign up for e-mail updates by visiting the WHD’s webpage.

Action Items

  1. Visit the DOL’s wage page on the PAID program here.
  2. Consult with legal counsel on how the PAID program may affect wage and hour violations.

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser.

© 2018 ManagEase

U.S. DOL Adopts “Primary Beneficiary” Test in Determining Status of Unpaid Interns

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All Employers with Unpaid Interns

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January 5, 2018

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On January 5, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2018-2, adopting the “Primary Beneficiary” test used to determine whether or not unpaid interns should actually be classified as employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Several federal circuit courts have used the primary beneficiary test to determine whether an unpaid intern is in fact an employee, and rejected the DOL’s prior six-factor test as being too rigid.

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