DENVER, CO - The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will present an educational forum about developments in its policies and regulations, and its Payroll Audit Independent Determination Program (PAID), in Denver, Colorado, on April 3, 2019.

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:

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.

NEW YORK, NY – Tishman Interiors Corp. - the prime contractor for a renovation project at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York - has paid $420,335 in back wages to resolve violations of federal wage laws following a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation.

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.

HINESVILLE, GA – The Liberty County Board of Commissioners will pay $209,106 in back wages to 131 employees for violations of the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) found in a U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation.

PROVIDENCE, RI – Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the Department of Labor has filed suit against Madeira Restaurant Inc. and The Waterfront Restaurant and Lounge Inc. – operators of two East Providence, Rhode Island, restaurants – and their owner Albertino Milho and managers David Milho, and Karen DaSilva, alleging willful violations of the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Santa Fe Picacho Hotel Management Corporation - doing business as Heritage Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town in Albuquerque - has paid $39,545 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 69 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime requirements.

LEBANON, OH – A Lebanon, Ohio, company that provides services to individuals with development disabilities has agreed to pay 84 employees a total of $37,658 – representing $18,829 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages – after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

CEDAR FALLS, IA – The State of Iowa, Board of Regents - operating as the University of Northern Iowa - has entered into a settlement agreement to resolve alleged violations of an employee's protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as found in a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation.

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.

CITY OF OREM, UT – The City of Orem, Utah, has paid $16,350 in civil money penalties to resolve child labor violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found the city employed 25 children under the age of 16 at its Scera Park Pools after 9 p.m. in the summers of 2017 and 2018.

ATHENS, AL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the Limestone County Sheriff's Department – based in Athens, Alabama – will pay $49,968 in back wages to 126 employees for violations of the overtime and recordkeeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

GREENVILLE, SC – After investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Whiteford's Inc. – operator of 30 Kentucky Fried Chicken and Arby's fast food locations in South Carolina and Georgia, and based in Greenville, South Carolina – has paid $32,797 in back wages to 298 employees for violating the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

BRIDGEPORT, WV – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), a federal appeals court affirmed a district court judgment requiring Fire & Safety Investigation Consulting Services LLC – based in Bridgeport, West Virginia – to pay $817,902 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 70 employees.

GREEN BAY, WI – Following a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, a Green Bay, Wisconsin, restaurant and its owner have paid $106,856 in back wages to 109 current and former employees, and an additional $6,591 in civil money penalties for child labor violations and willful overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Alliance Fire Protection Inc. – based in Albuquerque, New Mexico – has paid $157,923 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 14 employees for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act's (FLSA) overtime and recordkeeping requirements.

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.

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:

MILLWOOD, WV - After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia has ordered Team Environmental LLC – a natural gas pipeline construction management company based in Millwood, West Virginia – to pay 300 safety inspectors $1,850,000 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).