As a team of benefits strategists, we work hard every day to make sure we’re exceeding client expectations and providing the most innovative and value-generating plan designs and advisory services.
March 4, 2022
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced an initiative to add 100 investigators to its Wage and Hour Division (WHD)—a potential sign to employers that increased enforcement may be on the horizon.
The WHD is tasked with enforcing comprehensive labor laws that affect more than 148 million workers. This latest push for WHD investigators tracks with the White House’s larger agenda of strengthening workers’ rights.
According to the DOL, the core enforcement obligations of WHD investigators include:
- Conducting investigations to determine if employers are paying workers and affording them their rights as the law requires
- Helping ensure that law-abiding employers are not undercut by employers who violate the law
- Promoting compliance through outreach and public education initiatives
- Supporting efforts to combat worker retaliation and worker misclassification as independent contractors