U.S. Department of Labor   / elaws Advisors

Pay and Benefits

DOL administers a number of laws that impact the pay and benefits of the nation's workers.

DOL's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which requires employers to pay covered employees who are not otherwise exemptat least the Federal minimum wage and overtimepay for all hours over 40 in a work week. The FLSA affects most private and public employment. Other DOL agencies, such as the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) and Employment and Training Administration (ETA), also help administer laws impacting workers' pay and benefits.

WHD also administers the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for specified family and medical reasons and requires that group health benefits be maintained during the leave.

In addition, DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) administers the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) as it applies to the administration of employee retirement and group health benefit plans.

Use the resources on this page to learn more about DOL's pay and benefit requirements

Provides employers and employees with the information they need to understand Federal minimum wage, overtime, child labor and recordkeeping requirements.

Provides employers and employees with the information they need to understand Federal minimum wage, overtime, child labor and recordkeeping requirements.

Provides information and answers to a variety of questions about who is a fiduciary and their responsibilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Helps employers and employees determine coverage and eligibility under FMLA and reviews valid reasons for leave, notification responsibilities and employee rights and benefits under the Act.

Helps employees and their families make informed decisions about their employer-based health benefits, particularly when facing life and work changes such as marriage, childbirth, death, divorce, job loss, a new job or retirement.

Helps private sector employers understand their responsibilities and assists them in complying with the Federal laws applicable to their group health plans.

Helps small business employers understand various retirement savings options available to them and determine which one is most appropriate for them and their employees.

Helps employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities under USERRA and provides a notice that employers may post or distribute to fulfill their requirement to notify employees of their rights and benefits under the Act.

This Advisor helps employers and workers understand the requirements of WARN, a law that, in certain circumstances, requires employers to provide advance notification of layoffs and plant closings in order to provide workers with sufficient time to seek other employment or retraining opportunities.

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