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The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report and congressional testimony concerning its investigation of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD). The GAO concluded that the “WHD frequently responded inadequately to complaints, leaving low wage workers vulnerable to wage theft.” This article summarizes the GAO’s report, DOL Secretary Hilda […]
Alexander Passantino’s advice to the lovelorn may not be the makings of the next Sex and the City show, but his pen holds serious sway with hipsters of the payroll specialist in crowd. Alex is the acting administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD). As the grand oracle of […]
One of the clearest indications of an administration’s priorities is the budget and the amount of funding provided to various programs. Budgets always have winners and losers and reflect the degree to which programs will be implemented. A review of President Barack Obama’s proposed budget and recent agency actions demonstrates that increased enforcement of labor […]
As part of the new stimulus package, many workers will be seeing a little extra cash in their paychecks beginning this month—in the form of a reduced federal income tax withholding called the Making Work Pay Tax Credit. For employers, this means that payroll calculations need to be adjusted to ensure that the lowered withholding […]
(Updated May 2010) By Hillary J. Collyer Summer is here, which means that student interns are arriving for their summer internships — and many of these internships are unpaid. Internships afford students the opportunity to gain practical, real world experience, as well as explore various career paths and develop potential contacts. Employers should be careful, […]
In today’s economic climate, companies are continually looking for ways to cut costs without cutting jobs and resorting to layoffs. One option many companies are considering is mandatory unpaid time off, sometimes referred to as an employee furlough. By requiring mandatory unpaid time off, companies can reduce payroll expenses by reducing the number of hours […]
After a nine-month undercover investigation into the Department of Labor’s (DOL) ability to enforce and investigate violations of federal minimum wage, overtime, and child labor laws, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports serious failures. The report, which was released March 25, was prompted by a request from the House Education and Labor Committee. The investigation […]
Update Dec. 16: House Passes COBRA Subsidy Extension and Expansion Today, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued model COBRA continuation coverage notices that reflect the new nine-month, 65 percent subsidy on COBRA premiums. The notices are available online at www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRAmodelnotice.html. There are four types of notices, each tailored to a particular employee, beneficiary, or […]
The changes promised by the Obama administration are beginning to take hold at the federal agencies regulating the workplace. Typically, the change in leadership can be a strong predictor of the changes in policies and directions that will be pursued by a new administration. Not surprisingly, the changes that already have occurred suggest that we […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that almost 70 percent of employers aren’t in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Lawyers who represent employees are well aware that most employers aren’t compliant, as evidenced by a significant increase in FLSA claims. In fact, wage and hour claims, including collective actions, have increased […]