Category: Compensation
DOL Opinion Letters Address Commuting, Remote Work
On July 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued two new opinion letters addressing how the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) applies to…
From the Experts: Expense Reimbursements — Why Employers Must Pay Late Claims
We have a manager who is always late submitting his expense reports, in violation of company policy. This week, he submitted a request for mileage…
IRS Mileage Rates Increased Again on July 1
On July 13, 2026, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a rare midyear increase to the optional standard mileage rates, which are used to calculate…
DOL Publishes Opinions on Meal Period, Timekeeping Issues
At the end of May, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published four opinion letters. These letters are the agency’s written guidance on how it…
DOL Approves Bonus Program That Avoids Overtime Recalculation
In its recently published Opinion Letter FLSA2026-6, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) endorsed an employer’s quarterly bonus program as a “percentage of total earnings”…
Spring Forward This Sunday as Daylight Saving Time (DST) Starts
On Sunday, March 8, 2026, daylight saving time (DST) begins! At 2 a.m., our clocks spring forward, meaning we lose an hour, which may cause…
From the Experts: Employers May Not Induce Employees to Work on Rest Day
We understand that employees must be provided a day of rest unless the employee wants to work a seventh day. We would like to offer…
Tax Deductions for Tips, Overtime Under One Big, Beautiful Bill Act
Known as the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, H.R. 1 brought numerous federal law changes, mainly to federal tax law, when it was signed on…
From the Experts: Deductions from Employee Wages Not Allowed Except in Limited Cases
One of our employees is continually short on their cash drawer. Can we deduct the shortage from the employee’s tips if the employee agrees to…
2026 Social Security Taxable Wage Base, California SDI Withholding Rate Increase
On January 1, 2026, both the Social Security taxable wage base and California’s state disability insurance (SDI) withholding rate will increase. For 2026, the federal…
