DOL Enforcement Effects on the Rise
The Department of Labor ("DOL") earlier this year announced that it would be hiring 250 additional investigators in an effort to pursue violators of minimum wage, overtime and meal break laws throughout the country. The news that the DOL is increasing their audits of employers that are not paying employees proper amounts of compensation is nothing new to both labor and employment lawyers as well as employers themselves. It seems that new audits and fines are being reported on a daily basis.
Regardless of the industry, violations occurred on a regular basis. Some industries exceeded 40% violation rates for paying minimum wage, and some occupations were found not to receive overtime pay nine times out of ten.
That being said, employers never need another reason to abide by the proper wage and hour laws, but if they did, the additional resources the DOL is preparing to spend on seeking out violators should be a wake up call loud enough for all to hear.
