Wages & Hours

When interpreting what the law requires, pay attention to what the law actually says

05/30/2025

Increasingly, U.S. Supreme Court decisions turn on the exact language Congress chose to use when writing laws. The justices often rely on the ordinary meaning of the words contained in legislation.

Competitive edge for small employers: Slightly higher pay

05/27/2025

The Mercer consulting firm’s latest pay survey shows that for the first time since the post-pandemic hiring boom, the rate of wage increases has slowed.

To preserve exempt status, pay employees on a weekly salary basis, not by the day

05/23/2025

The Supreme Court agreed with a highly compensated employee who argued that because he was paid a daily rate, he wasn’t being paid on a salary basis. Now a federal appeals court has applied that logic to another employer.

Bill would cut federal income tax on overtime wages

05/19/2025

Republican legislators in the House of Representatives and Senate have introduced the Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act, which would allow employees to deduct up to $10,000 in overtime pay from their federal income taxes.

Beware unintended consequences of sharing pay info

05/09/2025

It’s increasingly difficult for employers to keep employees from finding out how much their co-workers are paid. However, a new study shows the unintended consequences when employers tell employees where they stand on pay.

Great expectations: Class of ‘25 soon to confront a real pay gap

05/05/2025

A ZipRecruiter survey of 3,000 soon-to-graduate students found that on average, they expected to command an annual pre-tax salary of $101,500. Needless to say, that’s wildly optimistic.

Stop unauthorized work by remote employees

05/02/2025

If you have employees who work remotely at least some of the time, you know how difficult it is to track exactly what they are doing and when they’re doing it. That can be bad news if those employees are nonexempt. They must be paid for all work they perform—whether you knew they were working or not. The good news is that you can set up systems that prevent unauthorized telework.

The new pay gap: Employees fret about pay even as employers hold steady

04/28/2025

Amid recent tariffs and economic policy shifts, a disconnect has emerged. According to a new Willis Towers Watson survey, 56% of employers say their workers are worried about their future pay raises. But three-fourths of employers say they don’t anticipate any changes to their pay scales or salary budget plans because of large-scale economic pressures.

Gender pay gap narrows to 85%

03/24/2025

The pay gap between women and men is shrinking—slightly—according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center.

Pay-equity audit? Be prepared to show your work

03/07/2025

To avoid litigation, many employers conduct internal audits to ensure pay equity when employees perform substantially identical work. If you decide to run a pay-equity audit, be prepared to show exactly how you conducted it.