In the last year, millions of New Yorkers have been working remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic. A number of companies don’t plan to return to in-office work until the summer or fall of 2021. In the meantime, many employees have needed a more flexible...
Wage And Hour/Overtime
New York protects voluntary wage transparency among employees
It is common knowledge that it is illegal to pay women less than men for equivalent work. The federal Equal Pay Act of 1963 is over fifty years old, but despite its ban on unequal wages between genders, an 18% wage differential still exists, explain the authors of a...
NY employers should take note of DOL “regular rate of pay” rules
Since Jan. 15, an updated U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regulation has been in effect clarifying for employers which job benefits and perks to include in pay for purposes of calculating overtime due to nonexempt workers (usually hourly). The “regular rate of pay” is...
Are New York employers supposed to pay employees for time in voluntary training programs?
While this sounds like a straightforward question, the answer is that it depends. This matter is actually regulated in some detail under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and its regulations – the main body of federal law governing wage-and-hour matters for...
Wage theft increases during recessions
A newly released study shows wage theft by employers grows significantly during troubled economic times, mirroring a rise in unemployment numbers. Women, people of color and noncitizens are the most likely targets. According to a paper released by the Washington...
Employers must diligently track employee hours during explosion of remote work
On August 24, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a news release announcing important guidelines clarifying the legal responsibilities of employers to track employees' remote work hours. COVID-19 has forced more employees...
5 common wage and hour violations
When you work hard for your employer, you deserve to be paid fairly for the work you do. However, some employers don't pay employees fairly for their efforts, which happens more often than you may think. In 2019, the United States Department of Labor recovered more...
Department of Labor sued by 17 states for wage violations rule
Attorneys general from 17 states asked a federal judge to block a new Department of Labor (DOL) regulation that limits the circumstances where multiple companies can be held jointly accountable for wage violations. Under the new regulation, it is less likely that...
Feds issue new rule defining joint employment, effective March 16
In a major move, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) through its Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has finalized a significant amendment to its interpretation of the regulations defining joint employers under federal law. The DOL's final rule will take effect on March 16,...
Could a new year mean new protections for gig economy workers?
The rise of the gig economy has made it possible for anyone to make some money by driving passengers, making deliveries, or even walking dogs. As businesses reliant on this model have grown into money-making giants, scrutiny of the working arrangement has increased....
