A Record $304 Million in Back Wages Recovered by DOL

​On Oct. 9, 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that its Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recovered a record $304 million in wages owed to workers in fiscal year (FY) 2018. In comparison, the WHD recovered $270 million in back wages in FY 2017.

Compliance Assistance
The DOL’s secretary, Alex Acosta, states that the recovered wages are a demonstration that the DOL and WHD are committed to ensuring workers receive the wages they deserve. Moreover, the WHD’s compliance assistance efforts demonstrate its commitment to helping employers meet compliance requirements. Specifically, in FY 2018, the WHD held 3,643 educational outreach events to help job creators understand their responsibilities under the law.

PAID Program Extension
On the same day, the WHD also announced a six-month extension of the voluntary Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. This program is an initiative designed to help expedite back wage payments to workers. Without this program, workers may have to wait for investigations and court cases to be resolved or concluded.

What does this mean for my organization?
Complying with wage and hour regulations should be a priority for your organization. This is especially important as the DOL has demonstrated that it will focus on ensuring compliance, as seen by the record numbers it has collected recently.

With more employees working remotely, using their smartphones to access email or work at home, and looming overtime rule changes in 2019, now is the time to ensure your organization’s compliance.
Contact TWFG Insurance - Voiron Insurance Services today for help complying with wage and hour regulations, or for additional resources.