Tag: U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

DOL Guidance Spotlights FLSA, FMLA, and Visa Program Retaliation

On March 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued guidance on forms of prohibited retaliation under various laws the agency enforces, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), immigration visa programs, and other laws and executive orders. The new guidance suggests […]

Restaurant’s Mandatory Service Charge Wasn’t a Tip

In the current battle to hire and retain good workers, employers have developed creative ways to balance employees’ increased compensation expectations against the costs of running a business. In addition, restaurants using the tip credit have the extra administrative difficulties of making sure their tipped employees are being paid enough in tips to meet the […]

DOL Issues New Guidance to Employers Warning About Retaliation

Retaliation continues to be at the top of the federal government’s priority list. In March 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new field assistance bulletin titled Protecting Workers from Retaliation, which addresses worker protections from retaliation under laws enforced by the agency’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD). The DOL pledged to “use every […]

Get Ready for Union Organizing on Steroids

Against the backdrop of a new presidential administration, an evolving workforce, and a changing economy brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape for union organizing has radically changed over the past two years. While the nation’s attention is currently focused on unionization efforts at household names such as Amazon and Starbucks, employers of all […]

You’re Getting a Raise! DOL Again Looks to Hike FLSA Salary Threshold

In September 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) expanded the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime coverage to more than one million workers. In response, employers everywhere readied themselves for a potentially seismic shift. Calls to legal counsel, workforce audits, and wage adjustments ensued to make sure workers were properly classified. Soon, it may […]

arbitration

Scalia Defends Private-Sector Record During Confirmation Hearing

President Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) faced senators in a September 19 confirmation hearing where he signaled his views on various issues the DOL is facing and said his work representing businesses as an attorney wouldn’t keep him from fulfilling the department’s mission.