Wage and hour issues are some of the most frequent, expensive, and challenging employer compliance problems. In order to withstand a Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, compliant wage practices and classifications are your first and best defense. From wage concepts such as minimum wage and overtime to relevant state and federal wage and hour rules, business owners and HR professionals need to be informed and up-to-date to protect their business.
In Ethan Allen’s Wage and Hour Checklist, we outline the wage issues and concepts you should understand including payment of wages, exempt versus non-exempt employees, wage deductions, off-the-clock work, travel time pay, and more. While our wage and hour checklist does not cover every wage and hour violation, it gives you a general idea of what to look for during an internal wage and hour audit. If you find that your business has practices which violate compliance in any of these areas, you’ll want to discuss these issues with your employment counsel and take steps to address the problems.
Here are a few quick ways to find out if your business has compliant wage practices:
- Make sure all non-exempt employees receive at least the relevant minimum wage for all hours worked.
- Secure and maintain signed timesheets from all non-exempt employees verifying their work hours and retain such timesheets for at least three years or longer.
- Ensure that employees are properly classified as either W-2 employees or 1099 independent contractors in accordance with the IRS and EEOC guidelines.
Ready to see the full list of tips and start your wage and hour audit? Get your copy of Ethan Allen’s Wage and Hour Checklist now.