A pizza delivery driver’s challenge to a 35-cent-per-mile reimbursement rate is back before a federal court in Colorado, reminding employers that mileage reimbursements can create wage-and-hour exposure. The Tenth Circuit revived the driver's complaint against a Papa John’s franchise operator,…
DoorDash will pay $131.5 million to resolve New York City findings that it failed to pay delivery workers fully or on time and violated the city’s minimum-pay requirements. The nine-figure worker settlement – the largest in NYC history and the…
Under a proposal from the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon employers would pay an average of 92 cents per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation coverage in 2027. The proposed average pure premium rate would increase 2.1%, while…
Informal cash-pay practices leave wage payments and hours worked outside normal payroll controls -- and that can be an expensive mistake. Case in point: A Washington state court ordered Alan Tagle and Tagle & Partners LLC to pay $1.86 million…
How much might an employer have to pay when it fails to reinstate striking employees? NLRB Region 6 has approved a $3.66 million settlement with Langeloth Metallurgical Co. It resolves allegations that the company failed to reinstate, or delayed reinstating,…
The IRS announced new per diem rates for fiscal year 2027, effective Oct. 1, 2026. As a reminder, using the per diem method can reduce receipt-keeping, but employees still must substantiate the time, place and business purpose of their travel.…
A federal court in Texas has dismissed a challenge to the IRS regulation governing lock-in letters, leaving withholding directives issued to two employers in place. In November 2024, the IRS sent lock-in letters to the employers of Matthew Lobdell and…
Employers participating in E-Verify can use an expanded report to identify current employees who may require Form I-9 reverification. The Department of Homeland Security recently expanded the E-Verify Status Change Report to include invalidated employment authorization documents (EADs) in the…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) debarred a Louisiana farmer from the H-2A visa program for one year after investigators found violations involving job terms and worker pay. The H-2A visa program allows agricultural employers facing a shortage of domestic…
On Sept. 30, 2026, Florida’s minimum wage increased to $15 an hour, from $14 an hour. The minimum cash wage for tipped employees rose to $11.98 an hour, from $10.98. The increase marked the final $1 annual increase required under…
Misclassifying employees as independent contractors can leave employers facing significant wage-and-hour liability. DMV Protection LLC is a security service company that provides security personnel for clients. Except for the owner, everyone at DMV – from security guards to the director…
What if a benefits platform is the barrier preventing an employee from accessing benefits? As new tech tools become part of routine workplace processes, HR has to stay alert for compliance risks those technologies may introduce. Case in point: Pearson…
At what level of authority does a manager become exempt from overtime? A federal judge in Maine approved an $8.875 million settlement involving salaried department managers at Hannaford Supermarkets. The managers, who oversaw the bakery, deli, produce and meat departments,…
Employers sponsoring pre-approved 401(k) and other defined contribution plans can begin filing for individual determination letters starting Oct. 1, 2026, under the IRS's fourth remedial amendment cycle. The adoption deadline for Cycle 4 pre-approved plans is Sept. 30, 2028 –…
Maryland employers must register for the state's Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. Registration opened Sept. 1 and is required for all employers with at least one Maryland-based employee. Employers considering an equivalent private insurance plan must file a…
New York employees will see their maximum annual Paid Family Leave (PFL) contribution rise to $451.81 in 2027, up from $411.91 in 2026. The state's Department of Financial Services set the 2027 employee contribution rate at 0.452% of gross wages,…
