April 29, 2019

Cheryl Marie Stanton Becomes New Administrator Of U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced Cheryl Marie Stanton was sworn-in as the Administrator of the Department's Wage and Hour Division.

"I welcome and congratulate Cheryl Stanton as she officially assumes the position of Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "Cheryl brings with her a distinguished career including prior public service as Executive Director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce."

April 29, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor Issues New Wage and Hour Opinion Letter, Concludes Service Providers for a Virtual Marketplace Company Are Independent Contractors

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has issued a new opinion letter that addresses compliance issues related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the Department's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the individual person or entity that requested the letter.

The opinion letter issued today is:

April 9, 2019

Comment Period for U.S. Department of Labor’s Joint Employer Proposal Opens

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that the Office of the Federal Register has published the Department's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would revise and clarify the responsibilities of employers and joint employers to employees in joint employer arrangements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The official publication in the Federal Register marks the start of the proposal's public comment period, which will remain open for 60 days and close on June 10, 2019.

April 2, 2019

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

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has issued three new opinion letters that address compliance issues related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the Department's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the individual person or entity that requested the letter.

The opinion letters issued today are:

April 1, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Proposal for Joint Employer Regulation

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a proposed rule to revise and clarify the responsibilities of employers and joint employers to employees in joint employer arrangements. The Department has not meaningfully revised its joint employer regulation since 1958.

March 28, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Proposal to Update Regular Rate Regulations

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a proposed rule to clarify and update the regulations governing regular rate requirements for the first time in more than 50 years.

Regular rate requirements define what forms of payment employers include and exclude in the "time and one-half" calculation when determining workers' overtime rates.

March 22, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor’s Overtime Proposal Open for Public Comment

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that the Office of the Federal Register has published the Department's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would make more than a million more American workers eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The official publication in the Federal Register marks the start of the proposal's public comment period, which will remain open for 60 days and close on May 21, 2019.

March 15, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Guidance Regarding Employers’ Obligations When Posting Electronic Notice under H-1B Visa Program

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) today issued a Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) reiterating employers' responsibilities under the H-1B visa program.

March 14, 2019

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

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has issued new opinion letters that address compliance issues related to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the Department's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the individual person or entity that requested the letter.

The opinion letters issued today are:

March 7, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor Releases Overtime Update Proposal

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would make more than a million more American workers eligible for overtime.

February 6, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor Announces New Compliance Assistance Tool

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of an enhanced electronic version of the Handy Reference Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This new online version of one of the Wage and Hour Division’s (WHD) most popular publications will assist American employers and workers with a simple, easy-to-follow resource that provides basic WHD information, as well as links to other resources.

January 2, 2019

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Departure of Acting Administrator for the Wage and Hour Division

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the resignation of Bryan Jarrett, Acting Administrator for the Wage and Hour Division, effective January 5, 2019.

December 21, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Wage and Hour Opinion Letters

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has issued two new opinion letters. These letters demonstrate the Department’s commitment to providing meaningful compliance assistance to help employees understand their rights and ensure that employers have the tools they need to comply with federal labor law.

The letters released today address the following compliance issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):

November 20, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Focuses on Worker Safety and Pay During Holiday Shopping Season

WASHINGTON, DC – As the holiday season approaches, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Wage and Hour Division (WHD) are reminding employers to protect worker safety and pay. 

“Whether employees are stocking shelves, packing boxes, delivering products, or selling merchandise, they have the right to a safe workplace,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “Employers should focus on their responsibility to protect all employees during the busy holiday season.”

November 8, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Wage and Hour Opinion Letters

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it has issued four new opinion letters that demonstrate its commitment to providing meaningful compliance assistance to help employees understand their rights and ensure employers have the tools they need to comply with federal labor law. The letters released today address compliance under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and other laws.

The opinion letters issued today address:

October 30, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Updates to H-1B Labor Condition Application and Worker Complaint Form

WASHINGTON, DC – As the U.S. Department of Labor continues efforts to confront visa program fraud and abuse, the Department announced that it will publish updates to the H-1B Labor Condition Application (Form ETA-9035) and worker complaint form (Form WH-4). These changes are intended to improve H-1B program compliance and promote greater transparency regarding the employment of foreign temporary workers.

The Labor Condition Application form updates will require employers to provide more detailed information about H-1B worker employment conditions, including:

October 17, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Announces New Compliance Assistance Tools To Assist New and Small Businesses

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of the New and Small Business Assistance and the Compliance Assistance Toolkits webpages. These new online tools assist American small businesses and workers with simple, straightforward resources that provide critical Wage and Hour Division (WHD) information, as well as links to other resources.

October 9, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Record $304 Million in Recovered Wages for Workers in Fiscal Year 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recovered a record $304 million in wages owed to workers in Fiscal Year 2018. WHD also set a new record for compliance assistance events in FY 2018, holding 3,643 educational outreach events – including on the ground presentations and trainings – to help job creators understand their responsibilities under the law.

October 2, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor to Host Proposed Overtime Rule Listening Session

WASHINGTON DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will host a public listening session in Washington, D.C., to gather views on the Part 541 white-collar exemption regulations, often known as the "Overtime Rule," on October 17, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. EDT.

September 26, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Proposal to Allow Younger Americans to Safely Develop Skills for Careers in Healthcare

WASHINGTON, DC – With over 1.1 million jobs currently open in healthcare and social assistance, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced a proposal to allow younger Americans to safely develop critical skills for fast-growing jobs in healthcare – which are expected to add 2.4 million jobs, more than any other occupation, through 2026.