U.S. DOL Announces Return of Opinion Letters

The U.S. Department of Labor announced last week the reinstatement of the issuance of opinion letters.  Opinion letters, which the Department ceased issuing in 2010 under the Obama administration, permit businesses and advocates to submit inquiries to the Wage and Hour Division for analysis on specific situations.  This process provides employers with a way to seek guidance on how to meet statutory and regulatory requirements and provides a degree of assurance as to whether they are in compliance with such laws as the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family Medical Leave Act.