The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that their Wage and Hour Division (WHD) plans to add over 100 investigators to their team throughout 2022. As a result of the pandemic and great resignation, the division has reached the lowest staffing levels in decades. Acting Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman stated, “While appropriations will determine our course of action, we are optimistic we will be able to bring new talented professionals on board to expand our diverse team.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, some of the responsibilities that investigators include:
- Conducting investigations to determine if employers are paying workers and affording them their rights as the law requires.
- Helping ensure that law-abiding employers are not undercut by employers who violate the law.
- Promoting compliance through outreach and public education initiatives.
- Supporting efforts to combat worker retaliation and worker misclassification as independent contractors.
What Is the Wage and Hour Division?
The Wage and Hour Division’s mission is to promote and achieve compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of the nation's workforce. The Division is one of the country’s most crucial labor law enforcement agencies, enforcing comprehensive labor laws for over 148 million employees.
The WHD enforces Federal minimum wage, overtime page, recordkeeping, and child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Additionally, the Division enforces a variety of legislative acts, including the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act, the Family and Medical Act, wage garnishment provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act, and a variety of employee standards and worker protections.
What Does This Mean for Business Owners?
When partnering with a PEO like GMS, you can rely on support from our HR experts. Our team can help safeguard your company by performing our own FLSA audits to ensure you remain compliant. During the audit, we’ll cover an extensive checklist, covering items such as proper employee classification and proper payroll coding. Upon completing the audit, we’ll dive into any possible areas of concern and provide our recommendations to rectify said issues.
Reach out to GMS today to ensure that your business will be properly prepared and protected if it is audited.