A new opinion letter from the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division explains that employees may use leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) not only to attend qualifying medical appointments, but also for the time spent traveling to and from those appointments. Notably, employers
Articles about the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) an other topics related to wage and hours issues.
DOL Issues Opinion Letter Regarding Compensability of Pre-Shift Activities Covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement
DOL Issues Opinion Letter Regarding Compensability of Pre-Shift Activities Covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement
On January 5, 2026, the U.S.
tgelbman@littler.com Thu, 01/08/2026 – 08:24
DOL Clarifies Application of Minimum Wage and Tips Under the FLSA’s Commissioned Employee Overtime Exemption
DOL Clarifies Application of Minimum Wage and Tips Under the FLSA’s Commissioned Employee Overtime Exemption
On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued an opinion letter (FLSA2026-4) clarifying how employers should apply the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) Section 7(i) overtime exemption for certain
DOL Opinion Letter Offers Reminders on Exempt Classification Decisions
DOL Opinion Letter Offers Reminders on Exempt Classification Decisions
On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Opinion Letter FLSA2026‑1, addressing whether an employer may classify an employee as non‑exempt even when the employee satisfies the educational and job duties requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s
DOL Opinion Letter Confirms Bonuses Under Predetermined Pay Plans Must Be Included in Regular Rate
DOL Opinion Letter Confirms Bonuses Under Predetermined Pay Plans Must Be Included in Regular Rate
On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued Opinion Letter FLSA2026-2, addressing whether certain “Safety, Job Duties, and Performance” bonuses may be excluded from an employee’s regular rate of
IRS Extends Transition Relief for State Paid Family and Medical Leave Programs Through 2026
IRS Extends Transition Relief for State Paid Family and Medical Leave Programs Through 2026
On December 19, 2025, the IRS released Notice 2026-06, extending by one additional year the transition period established in Revenue Ruling 2025-4 for certain employment tax and reporting obligations related to state paid family and medical
IRS Delays Enforcement of PFML Tax Rules
On December 19, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it extended the grace period for states and employers to report tax information about benefits paid through a state’s paid family and medical leave program. For 2026, states and employers will not have to comply with tax and income
Pay Transparency + the Power of Preventive Strategies: Episode 1 — Mitigating the Patchwork
As employers have become accustomed to basic pay transparency obligations, states and cities have begun ramping up requirements for greater information disclosure. Proactive planning and strong decision-making regarding an organization’s culture can help alleviate the stress employers face.
Payroll Brass Tax: Holiday Gifts, Gift Cards, and the Taxable Truth (Podcast)
Holiday gifts feel generous—but for payroll they’re often taxable. In this episode of Payroll Brass Tax, Mike Mahoney (shareholder, Morristown/New York) and Stephen Kenney (associate, Dallas) break down when gifts, gift cards, and raffle prizes count as wages, and how the de minimis fringe benefit rules really work. The speakers
2026 State and Major Locality Minimum Wage Updates
Nineteen states, plus several major localities, will increase their minimum wage rates in the new year. The chart below lists state and certain major locality minimum wage increases for January 2026—and future dates, if already published and available—along with any related changes in the minimum cash wage for tipped employees
Employers Assurance: 11th Circuit Clarifies Compensable Work Time Under Portal-to-Portal Act
Takeaways
FLSA Misclassification is Common, Costly, and Completely Avoidable
Correctly classifying employees as exempt or nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is more than a compliance checkbox, it’s a critical step in managing wage and hour risk.…
Navigating the Patchwork of Pay Transparency Laws
As employers have become accustomed to basic pay transparency obligations, states and cities have begun ramping up requirements for greater information disclosure. Proactive planning and strong decision-making regarding an organization’s culture can help alleviate the stress employers face.
Employers That Pay Biweekly May Have 27 Paydays in 2026. Are You Ready?
Employers That Pay Biweekly May Have 27 Paydays in 2026. Are You Ready?
Employers that pay their employees on a biweekly pay cycle often determine the amount of an employee’s biweekly salary by dividing their designated annual salary by 26, reasoning that there will be 26 pay cycles in a
Pay Transparency Rules: Posting Ranges and Reporting Pay Data Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw
California continues to lead the nation in pay equity enforcement, and new requirements are reshaping employer obligations. In this episode, Jen breaks down SB…