Yes, you read that title correctly. Yesterday afternoon, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) actually did something that will help employers understand their obligations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Really! For the first time in nearly a decade, the DOL issued new opinion letters to offer guidance for employers on three topics: (1) Travel time; (2) Whether break time is compensable when used as a reasonable accommodation for disabled workers; and (3) Garnishment of wages for child support. In yet another helpful move yesterday, the DOL also released a fact sheet explaining when employees in the higher education industry are entitled to overtime pay.
The guidance in these DOL publications will help employers interpret the FLSA’s regulations, but it is a lot to take in all at once. Rather than write a shallow summary covering everything (which really won’t tell you anything) or a monstrously long article (that will be slightly shorter than War & Peace), Graydon’s Labor & Employment team is going to cover each topic separately in a 4-part series beginning on Monday. We’ll tell you what you need to know in the concise, practical way that you’re used to from Graydon’s team. Until then, have a great weekend!
