The U.S. Department of Labor has issued regulations requiring employers to post two revised workplace posters. The regulations took effect August 1, 2016.

The first new poster, “Employee Rights Under The Fair Labor Standards Act” poster, contains new information about the rights of nursing mothers under the FLSA to take reasonable breaks to express milk for a period of one year following birth of their child. It also instructs them that their employer must provide a workplace location shielded from view and free from intrusion. The location may not be a bathroom.

The new FLSA poster also contains a new section about independent contractor misclassification, as well as information in the “tip credit” section that instructs employers of tipped employees who meet certain conditions that they may claim a partial wage credit based on tips received. The poster, available in 10 different languages, is available at: https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/flsa.htm.

The second revised poster is the “Employee Rights—Employee Polygraph Protection Act” poster. The only substantive change to this poster was the removal of a reference to the amount of possible penalties. The new poster also contains new contact information for the DOL. This poster, available in English and Spanish, is available at: https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppa.htm.

Finally, for employers with 50 or more employees, the Department of Labor previously released an updated Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) poster in April, 2016. Unlike the FLSA and Employee Polygraph Protection Act posters, the updated FMLA poster contains substantial revisions. This revised poster, available in English and Spanish, is available at: https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmla.htm.

Conclusion

Employers with questions concerning workplace posters mandatory under federal and state laws should not hesitate to contact their experienced employment law counsel. We can assist.

On July 15, 2015, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) issued a guidance memorandum (Administrator’s Interpretation No. 2015-1) clarifying whether workers can properly be characterized as Independent Contractors, rather than employees. This Bulletin explains this development and its implications for employers who treat any workers as Independent Contractors.

What is The DOL and Why is This Important?

The DOL is the federal agency charged with enforcing laws and regulations enacted to protect employees. The DOL’s Administrator periodically issues “guidance” memoranda interpreting a law or regulation. While these memoranda are neither law nor legally binding, they are frequently cited and given weight by courts when interpreting law in a particular case. They may also be considered in the legislative process, as federal and state laws are enacted which directly impact employers.

This guidance is also important because it provides clarity and may help employers avoid misclassifying workers as Independent Contractors. Employers who misclassify risk a costly claim or civil lawsuit by the worker claiming she did not receive overtime or rest and meal periods as a result of the misclassification.

The “Economic Realities” Test

Determination whether an employer can properly treat a worker as an Independent Contractor has long required application of the “economic realities” test. This test asks the following questions about a worker classified as an Independent Contractor:

Is the work performed by the individual an “integral part of the employer’s business”?

Does the individual’s “managerial skill” affect his or her opportunity for profit or loss?

How does the worker’s investment compare with that of the company?

Does the work performed require special skill and initiative?

Is the relationship between the worker and the company permanent or indefinite?

What is the nature and degree of the employer’s control?

What Does the DOL Guidance Add?

The DOL guidance memorandum adopts the economic realities test. But the agency makes clear that the test must be applied in the context of the definition, from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), of “employ,” as “suffer or to permit to work.” An individual who is “economically dependent on an employer is suffered or permitted to work by the employer,” and thus cannot be properly classified as an Independent Contractor (emphasis added).

In other words, only a worker who is financially independent of the employer can properly be classified as an Independent Contractor. In one telling sentence, the memorandum says that “Only carpenters, construction workers, electricians, and other workers who operate as independent businesses, as opposed to being economically dependent on their employer, are independent contractors.”

The guidance also clarifies that work away from the employer’s premises does not necessarily support Independent Contractor classification, since that work can still be integral to the employer’s business.

What Should Employers Do?

The issuance of this guidance is an excellent reminder for employers to work with their employment law counsel to evaluate whether they are properly classifying any worker who is treated as an Independent Contractor.

As we greet Summer, employers may be tempted to offer internship programs to provide students and others valuable real-world experience in their industry. An internship can be a terrific opportunity for both the intern and the employer. However, unless the intern is paid and treated exactly like other employees, in compliance with wage-hour laws, for-profit employers may be violating the law and risking a costly claim or lawsuit.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has provided the following six-part test for-profit employers should use in evaluating whether they can offer an unpaid internship program without violating wage-hour laws:

1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training that would be given in an educational environment.

2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.

3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff.

4. The employer derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern, and on occasion, its operations may actually be impeded.

5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship.

6. The employer and the intern both understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for time spent in the internship.

The DOL has said that, if all six factors are met, then an employment relationship does not exist under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

What About Nonprofits?

The DOL has said that this six-part test for unpaid interns applies to for-profit employers, and that the FLSA recognizes an “exception” for “individuals who volunteer their time, freely and without anticipation of compensation for religious, charitable, civic, or humanitarian purposes to non-profit organizations.” This is consistent with California Labor Code Section 1720.4.

However, nonprofit organizations using interns or trainees, should avoid paying the individual a stipend, unless it is sufficient to meet the otherwise applicable minimum wage requirements. While it may be appropriate to reimburse interns or trainees for certain out-of-pocket expenses, a stipend below the minimum wage suggests the intern or trainee is actually an underpaid employee, and can expose the organization to wage-hour liability.

Workers’ Compensation?

Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations that otherwise legally use unpaid interns should still take steps to reduce their exposure in the event an intern suffers an on-the-job injury. It is wise to review the organization’s workers’ compensation insurance policy to ensure the organization is covered in the event of an accident or injury.

Employers planning to use unpaid interns or trainees are wise to consult with a knowledgeable employment law attorney.