Wage & Hour

Expert Analysis

• Understanding Wage Theft Penalties Under New NY Statute

  

  Under a recently enacted New York statute, wage theft is considered a form of larceny under the state's penal law, and prosecutors can seek even stronger penalties against violators — so all employers are well advised to pay close and careful attention to compliance with their wage payment obligations, say Paxton Moore and Robert Whitman at Seyfarth.

• How To Create A California-Compliant Piece-Rate Pay Policy

  

  Piece-rate compensation can encourage worker efficiency and productivity, but California has special rules for employers that use this type of pay plan, so careful execution and clear communication with employees is essential for maintaining compliance, says Ashley Paynter at Riley Safer.

• 3 Employer Considerations In Light Of DOL Proposed OT Rule

  

  A recently unveiled rule from the U.S. Department of Labor would increase the salary threshold for Fair Labor Standards Act overtime exemptions, and while the planned changes are not the law just yet, employers should start thinking about the best ways to position their organizations for compliance in the future, say Brodie Erwin and Sarah Spangenburg at Kilpatrick.

• Prevailing Wage Rules Complicate Inflation Act Tax Incentives

  

  Nicole Elliott and Timothy Taylor at Holland & Knight discuss the intersection between tax and labor newly created by the Inflation Reduction Act, and focus on aspects of recent U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of the Treasury rules that may catch tax-incentive seekers off guard.

• Calif., Wash. Rest Break Waivers: What Carriers Must Know

  

  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's recent invitation for petitions to waive its rules on meal and rest breaks for commercial drivers in California and Washington is an unusual move, and the agency's own guidance seems to acknowledge that its plan may face legal challenges, says Jessica Scott at Wheeler Trigg.

• Eye On Compliance: Women's Soccer Puts Equal Pay In Focus

  

  As the U.S. Women's National Team returns from World Cup, employers can honor the fighting spirit of the athletes — which won them a historic gender pay equality settlement in 2022 — by reviewing federal equal pay compliance requirements and committing to a level playing field for all genders, says Christina Heischmidt at Wilson Elser.

• How New Illinois Child Influencer Law Affects Advertisers

  

  Although Illinois' recently amended child labor law puts the burden on vloggers to ensure minors under the age of 16 featured in online videos are properly compensated, lack of compliance could reflect negatively on advertisers by association, say Monique Bhargava and Edward Fultz at Reed Smith.

• Lessons On Using 'Advice Of Counsel' Defense In FLSA Suits

  

  Several Fair Labor Standards Act cases illustrate the dangers inherent in employers trying to use the advice-of-counsel defense as a shield against liability while attempting to guard attorney-client privilege over relevant communications, says Mark Tabakman at Fox Rothschild.

• DC Circ. Ruling Puts Issue Class Cert. Under Microscope

  

  The D.C. Circuit's recent Harris v. Medical Transportation Management decision, which pushed back against lax application of Rule 23(c)(4) to certify issue classes as an end-run around the predominance requirement, provides potentially persuasive fodder for seeking to limit the scope of issue classes in other circuits, say attorneys at Skadden.

• Ensuring Child Labor Law Compliance Amid Growing Scrutiny

  

  Amid increased attention on child labor law violations, employers should review their policies and practices with respect to the employment of minors, particularly underage migrants who do not have any parents in the U.S., say Felicia O'Connor and Morgan McDonald at Foley & Lardner.

• Employer Best Practices For Pay Transparency Compliance

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  With conflicting pay transparency and disclosure laws appearing across the country, employers must carefully develop different strategies for discussing compensation with employees, applicants, and off-site workers, disclosing salaries in job ads, and staying abreast of new state and local compliance requirements, says Joy Rosenquist at Littler Mendelson.

• Calif. Cos. May Have To Reimburse More Remote Work Costs

  

  After a California appeals court's recent decision in Thai v. IBM, countless California employers will be required to pay work-related costs incurred by their employees who were sent home during the pandemic, and this could be just the beginning of a reckoning, say Sonya Goodwin at Sauer & Wagner.

• Water Cooler Talk: 'The Bear' Serves Up Advice For Managers

  

  Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs at Troutman Pepper chat with Ernst & Young’s Laura Yehuda about Hulu's "The Bear" and the best practices managers can glean from the show's portrayal of workplace challenges, including those faced by young, female managers.