Showing 29 posts in Fair Labor Standards Act.

The Department of Labor Announces New Final Rule Clarifying Employee Representative Rights During Workplace Inspections

April 26, 2024 by Amanda Tzivas

On March 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule (Final Rule) amending regulations for workplace investigations. It clarifies that employees may authorize both employees and a non-exhaustive list of third-party non-employees to act as their representative and accompany OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHO) during physical workplace inspections. More ›

U.S. Department of Labor Issued its Final Rule on Classifying Workers as Employees or Independent Contractors

January 12, 2024 by Amanda E. Teske

Earlier this week, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) issued a "final rule" providing guidance on the proper classification of employees and independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). More ›

PUMP Act Makes Employers Liable for Violations of Break Times or Private Spaces for Nursing Mothers

April 27, 2023 by Linda K. Horras

Hopefully, employers are already providing a private space for nursing mothers to express milk and sufficient break time to do so as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act), passed on December 29, 2022, further solidifies these requirements and makes employers liable for appropriate legal or equitable remedies under the FLSA. More ›

Lessons From Smithfield Pork Packing Plant Lawsuit: Could OSHA Preempt Worker Retaliation Claims Concerning Employer COVID-19 Safety Measures?

May 19, 2020 by Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

In a workplace safety whistleblower lawsuit recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, an air conditioning technician claims he was fired by his employer, HT Airsystems of Florida, LLC, in retaliation for complaining about purported overtime violations and for raising concerns about a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), which would be a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and Florida's Private Whistleblower Act (FWA). More ›

"Waiting is Still an Occupation" But Not a Compensable One

April 15, 2020 by Corey J. Swinick

In a recent summary judgment decision, the Eastern District of Wisconsin held that time spent by employees of staffing agencies both waiting for a job assignment and traveling to the job assignment if they were selected is not compensable time under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Wisconsin's Wage Payment and Collection Laws (WWPCL). The court's decision serves as a reminder for employers and employees alike that not all time spent by an employee for the benefit of, or required by, the employer is compensable time. More ›

New Statutory Framework Mandated for Employers Seeking to Limit Notice to Putative Class Members in an Enforceable Arbitration Agreement

February 6, 2020 by Linda K. Horras

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently articulated a new statutory framework for determining whether notice to a putative plaintiff should be issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). At issue was whether a district court may authorize notice to potential plaintiffs who had entered into arbitration agreements waiving the right to participate in a collective action; or in the alternative, whether these employees are “similarly situated” to a plaintiff that has not waived their right to participate in a collective action. More ›

Final Rule from U.S. Department of Labor Provides Clarifying Update to Joint Employer Regulations

January 28, 2020 by Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued a Final Rule to update longstanding "joint employer" regulations which will take effect March 16, 2020, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under the FLSA, an employee may have one or more employers that are jointly and severally liable for violations of the FLSA. The new regulations provide clarity and, consequently, increase employers' comfort levels as to agreements with independent service providers. More ›

U.S. Department of Labor Rings in the New Year with New Opinion Letters Regarding FMLA and the FLSA

January 24, 2020 by Linda K. Horras

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued three opinion letters on January 7, 2020—one addressing the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and two on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FMLA letter clarifies whether a combined general health district must consider employees of the county located in said health district when determining FMLA eligibility. As for the FLSA letters, one explores how a nondiscretionary bonus factors into an employee's regular rate of pay, while the other looks at whether per-project payments satisfy the salary basis test for exemption. Below, we take a closer look at each of these letters. More ›

Overtime Rules Update: DOL Adjusts Minimum Salary Requirement for Salaried Employees

October 4, 2019 by Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) made official a new regulation increasing the minimum salary level that salaried employees must be paid to be exempt from overtime. As of January 1, 2020, if a salaried employee makes less than $684 per week—or $35,568 per year—the employee will be entitled to overtime for the hours worked beyond 40 hours in a week. More ›

DOL Proposes Tweaks to FLSA Regular Rate Regulations, Changes Won't Impose New Regulatory Requirements

April 2, 2019 by Alexander M. Baggio

The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced proposed changes to the regular rate regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). According to the DOL, the proposed changes are focused on updating and clarifying the regular rate regulations, and intended to encourage employers to provide additional benefits to workers without inviting litigation. More ›

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