In 1938, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLS set the minimum wage, introduced the forty-hour work week, restricted child labor, and set overtime pay regulation. But, as employers soon realized, the overtime provision requiring time-and-a-half to be paid often creates complicated bookkeeping. To remedy this, employers were permitted to institute a Belo plan. This plan allows employers to pay employees who work unpredictable schedules a fixed salary. Employers like the simplicity, and employees enjoy the steady paycheck. To qualify as a Belo plan under the FLSA, though, four requirements must be met: The employee

Soon, a new Department of Labor rule will make it more difficult for someone to qualify as an independent contractor. On January 10, 2024, the Department of Labor announced a rule that provides updated guidance on whether an individual is an employee or independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The rule, which will go into effect on March 11, 2024, replaces a rule promulgated under the Trump administration that made it easier for individuals to qualify as independent contractors. In its press release, the Department of Labor argued that the old rule caused a “misclassification of employees as