Wage & Hour Compliance Assistance from the DOL

Last month the Department of Labor announced the addition of its "Overtime Calculator" to the five other previously published FLSA Advisors. Although it is unlikely that the Calculator will displace Spider Solitaire as my lunchtime dalliance, it was educational to run through the program which has links to a lot of the terminology used in the FLSA. The calculator operates with the same backwards logic of a tax return, but this shows you how mechanically the DOL applies the law to the facts.

Three of the five other FLSA Advisors are good resources for FLSA compliance. I recommend the "Hours worked", FLSA exemptions, and "Child Labor" Advisors:

• The Coverage and Employment Status Advisor at www.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm helps identify which workers are employees covered by the FLSA.
• The Hours Worked Advisor at www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/hoursworked provides information to determine which hours spent in work-related activities are considered FLSA "hours worked" and therefore must be paid.
• The Overtime Security Advisor at www.dol.gov/elaws/overtime.htm helps determine which employees are exempt from the FLSA minimum wage and overtime pay requirements under the Part 541 overtime regulations.
• The Child Labor Rules Advisor at www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/cl/default.htm answers questions about the FLSA’s youth employment provisions, including at what age young people can work and the jobs they can perform.
• The Section 14(c) Advisor at www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/14c helps explain the special minimum wage requirements for workers with disabilities.