Posted March 8th, 2018 in Top Stories, Legal Insights
DOL Creates Voluntary Program for Employers to Proactively Resolve Wage Issues
On March 6, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a new pilot program for federal wage-and-hour compliance. The Paid Audit Independent Determination (PAID) Program offers employers the opportunity to self-audit their pay practices, resolve any violations, and obtain releases from those claims from employees. The program will allow companies that may inadvertently have been non-compliant with federal overtime or minimum wage statutes to make employees whole without suffering through a government audit or collective action lawsuit. “This pilot program also benefits employees, as they can receive the back pay they are owed without the hassle of a lawsuit,” says Joel Andersen, a national wage-and-hour attorney with Nilan Johnson Lewis. Jen Cornell, an attorney with the firm who specializes in preventative employment law compliance audits, also notes that employers can look to resolve state or local non-compliance through this program. Both Joel and Jen advise companies to participate in this pilot, which is beneficial for both employers and their employees. For more about wage-and-hour audits or other wage-and-hour issues, contact Joel Andersen at 612.305.7747 jandersen@nilanjohnson.com.
