Payroll and Labor Compliance Guides for HR Leaders

This hub brings together our payroll and labor compliance guides for HR directors, payroll leaders and compliance owners at US employers. It covers FLSA wage and hour rules, overtime, leave laws, OSHA safety obligations, I-9 and records retention, and multi-state payroll, with practical articles you can use to check your own policies and processes.

Wage and Hour Basics: FLSA, Overtime and Hours Worked

These guides cover how hours are counted and when overtime applies.

• Can a Manual Labor Job Be Exempt from Overtime Pay?: how exemption rules apply to manual labor roles.
• Do PTO, Vacation and Sick Hours Count Toward Weekly Overtime?: whether paid time off must be included in overtime calculations.
• How to Calculate Time Clock Work Hours: the basics of turning punches into payable hours.
• Calculating Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Hours with an Example: how FTE is calculated and used.
• Employee Scheduling Rights in the US: a legal overview of scheduling rules for workers.
• California Approves a $20 Minimum Wage for Fast Food Workers: what the California fast food wage law changes.
• What to Know Before Configuring Payroll for Tipped Hourly Employees: key decisions when setting up tipped employee payroll.
• DOL Raises Penalties for Labor Violations: what higher Department of Labor penalties mean for employers.

Leave Management and Leave Law

Use these articles to handle FMLA, ADA accommodations and paid leave policies with fewer surprises.

• The 7 FMLA Data Patterns That Trigger a DOL Audit: leave data patterns that can draw regulator attention.
• Termination During Medical Leave: Rights and Legal Protections: the protections that apply when employment ends during leave.
• The Costs of Paid Family and Medical Leave for Small Businesses: how paid leave programs affect small employer budgets.
• Bereavement Leave: A Guide for Employers and Employees: how to structure a bereavement leave policy.
• Mandating PTO Usage During Unexpected Closures: the operational and policy questions around required PTO.
• What Unlimited PTO Actually Costs Employers: the hidden costs of unlimited PTO and why some employers reverse it.
• How to Handle Suspected ADA Accommodation Abuse Legally: responding to accommodation concerns without legal missteps.

Workplace Safety and OSHA

These guides explain OSHA obligations and how to prepare for inspections.

• What Is OSHA Compliance and Why Does It Matter?: an introduction to OSHA requirements for employers.
• How to Prepare for an OSHA Inspection: steps to take before and during an inspection.
• The Path to Becoming HIPAA and OSHA Compliant: how healthcare employers approach both sets of rules.
• How to Ensure Safety in the Workplace: A Practical Framework: a framework for building a workplace safety program.
• Who Is Liable When an AI Safety Platform Misclassifies an OSHA-Recordable Injury?: liability questions when software makes recordkeeping calls.

I-9, Records and Employee Data Compliance

Read these to keep employment eligibility, records and employee data handling in order.

• F-1 Student I-9 Verification Guide for CPT Employment: acceptable I-9 documents for F-1 students working under CPT.
• HR Records Retention When You Have Employees in Multiple States: resolving conflicting state retention requirements.
• How to Handle Employment Verification When a Former Employer Has Closed: options when a past employer can no longer verify work history.
• Employee Monitoring Compliance for Multi-State Employers: a decision framework for monitoring rules across states.
• The BIPA Ruling HR Leaders Rolling Out Biometric Time Clocks Should Read: biometric privacy obligations for time clock programs.
• How to Self-Audit Your ATS for Disparate Impact Before the EEOC Does: checking hiring data for adverse impact.

Multi-State and Global Payroll

These guides help payroll teams handle multiple tax jurisdictions and pay frequencies.

• How to Run Multi-State Payroll Without Conflicting Tax Rule Problems: managing withholding across several states.
• Managing Mixed Payroll Frequencies Across Countries: a practical approach for global payroll teams.
• Choosing an HRIS System for Growing Multistate Companies: what multistate employers need from an HRIS.
• Income Tax vs Payroll Tax: The Differences: how the two tax types differ for employers and employees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for overtime under the FLSA?

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, nonexempt employees must receive at least one and a half times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. An employee is exempt only if the job meets the salary basis, salary level and duties tests for a recognized exemption. Job titles alone do not decide exemption, and several states set stricter overtime rules.

How long should employers keep payroll records?

The FLSA requires employers to keep payroll records for at least three years and the records used to compute wages, such as time cards, for at least two years. The IRS generally expects employment tax records to be kept for at least four years. State laws can require longer periods, so multi-state employers often follow the longest applicable rule.

When must an employer complete Form I-9?

Every US employer must complete Form I-9 for each new hire. The employee completes Section 1 no later than the first day of employment, and the employer must review documents and complete Section 2 within three business days of the start date. Employers must retain the form for three years after hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later.

What does FMLA leave provide?

The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees of covered employers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12 month period for qualifying reasons, such as a serious health condition or the birth of a child. Group health coverage continues during leave. Eligibility requires 12 months of service, 1,250 hours worked and a worksite with 50 employees within 75 miles.

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