Labor Law Updates

Hiring teens for after-school, summer, or part-time jobs can be a great way to build your team — but it also comes with legal responsibilities. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), along with state-specific child labor laws, sets clear guidelines around hiring minors.

One employee complaint. That’s all it takes to trigger a Department of Labor (DOL) investigation. And in most cases, those investigations are due to questionable time and pay practices. There are explicit rules regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, exemption classification and recordkeeping under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) — and the DOL will step in if the rules are violated.

Human trafficking involves the exploitation of individuals for labor or commercial sex through force, fraud or coercion, typically affecting vulnerable populations of women, children, migrants and marginalized communities

The decision to use an independent contractor vs. hiring an employee is no longer just a matter of convenience: it’s a strategic choice that can impact your business. Ultimately, your decision will depend on your business priorities, your cash flow and the type of relationship you intend to maintain.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – the federal agency responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws in the workplace – recently released a draft of its Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-2026. It’s currently under review and subject to approval before being finalized. Let’s take a closer look at what the plan entails — and what you can do to strengthen your anti-discriminatory hiring and employee management practices for the years ahead.