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Client Alert

Now in Effect: DOL Final Rule on Classification of Independent Contractors

March 21, 2024Effective March 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has adopted a new standard for the classification of employees versus independent contractors — a much anticipated update since the DOL issued its Final Rule on January 9, 2024, as previously discussed by BMD.  In brief, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) creates significant protections for workers related to minimum wage, overtime pay, and record-keeping requirements. That said, such protection only exists for employees. This can incentivize entities to classify workers as independent contractors; however, misclassification is risky and can be costly.Client Alert

Employee or Independent Contractor? New Guidance Issued by the Department of Labor

January 10, 2024On January 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its long-awaited final rule — effective March 11, 2024 — revising its prior interpretation of worker classifications under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The new final rule rescinds the standard previously established in 2021, in turn, shifting the analysis of whether a worker is an employee (versus an independent contractor) of a business from a more streamlined “economic reality” test to a more complex “totality of the circumstances” standard.Client Alert

The U.S. Department of Labor Proposes FLSA Changes to Give Millions of Workers Overtime Pay Protection

September 18, 2023Client Alert

Five Major Trends for Employers to Watch Out For in 2023

December 19, 2022Five Major Trends for Employers to Watch Out For in 2023: Major changes may be on the horizon for noncompete clauses. The EEOC is gearing up to file more discrimination lawsuits against employers. The Department of Labor is poised to raise the salary threshold for exempt employees under the FLSA. Unionization momentum may slow in 2023. ESG is the new norm to attract and retain talent.Client Alert

DOL Finalizes New Rule Regarding Independent Contractor Status, But Its Future Is In Jeopardy

January 11, 2021On January 6, 2021, the Department of Labor announced its final rule regarding independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act. As described in a prior BMD client alert, this new rule was fast-tracked by the Trump administration after its proposal in September 2020. The new rule is set to take effect on March 8, 2021, and contains several key developments related to the "economic reality" test used to determine whether an individual is an independent contractor or an employee under the FLSA.Client Alert

DOL Proposes New Rule Regarding Independent Contractor Status - But How Will the Election Affect Its Future?

September 24, 2020On September 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a new proposed rule regarding employee and independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The full text of the proposed rule is available here. The rule's drafters intend to reduce uncertainty and enhance the precision and predictability of the long-standing "economic reality" test, which currently relies on a multifactor balancing test.Client Alert

Revised Department of Labor FFCRA Guidance, Effective September 16, 2020

September 14, 2020In response to attacks on the legality of the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Final Rule regarding the Families First Coronavirus Act (“FFCRA” or the “Act”), which took effect in April 2020, the Department of Labor issued new guidance on Friday, September 11th to formally address ongoing questions and concerns related to the COVID-19 legislation.Client Alert

Families First Coronavirus Act (“FFCRA”) Under Attack

August 10, 2020In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Families First Coronavirus Act (“FFCRA” or “the Act”) went into effect on April 1, 2020 followed closely behind by the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Final Rule on the Act which, collectively, describe the obligations of employers as well as the rights of employees under the FFCRA’s paid sick time and expanded family medical leave provisions.Client Alert

Employer COVID Toolkit

July 2, 2020As employees come back to work and employers operate “mid-COVID” in the “new normal,” employers must update their Employee Handbook and related employment policies. BMD has put together an Employer COVID Toolkit to supplement an employer’s existing Employee Handbook and policies to ensure compliance with the Department of Labor guidance, OSHA, FFCRA, the CARES Act and state law. Below is a description of policies and their purpose.Client Alert

How Do I Pay Employees for COVID-19 Telework?

April 20, 2020Even as stay-at-home and isolation orders are slowly lifted, employers will continue to have employees teleworking due to the COVID-19 / coronavirus pandemic.Client Alert

Record Keeping Requirements to Receive FFCRA IRS Tax Credit

April 2, 2020On April 1, 2020, the IRS and Department of Labor issued temporary regulations to provide clarity regarding the documents required by employees requesting leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the documentation that employers need to maintain.Client Alert

CLIENT ALERT: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division Sets Enforcement Record

October 30, 2019In advance of Halloween, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the results of its Wage and Hour Division's (WHD) recovery efforts for Fiscal Year 2019, and it reads like a horror story. The good news to lull you into a feeling of safety was that the 18,844 Complaints Registered was the fewest amount over the past 22 years or published records.