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When employers don’t understand wage-and-hour laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act—or worse, when they try to circumvent that law—they can find themselves on the hook for potentially costly penalties. Even relatively small violations can quickly add up.

We are a small business that provides temporary staffing to hospitals in California. California law requires paying overtime when employees work more than eight hours in a workday. A hospital to which we supply workers has asked us if our employees can work four 10-hour shifts with no overtime instead of five eight-hour shifts. Can we agree to the hospital’s request?

Many states and municipalities have wage-and-hour laws that go beyond the mandates of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The FLSA sets the floor for wage-and-hour rules, but states and cities are free to set standards that are more generous to employees.

The smartphones we carry in our pockets and purses give us 24/7/365 access to work-related phone calls, emails and texts—which gives our bosses 24/7/365 access to us. Thus, many managers expect their employees to be available to instantly respond to questions or solve problems. That is taking a mental toll.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has launched a lawsuit alleging that providers of wage-payment methods are charging exorbitant fees to workers who receive their pay via alternative means such as debit cards.

The High Court’s decision in E.M.D. Sales v. Carrera puts to rest fears of a sharp increase in Fair Labor Standards Act misclassification cases claiming employers didn’t take enough care when making decisions about employees’ exempt or nonexempt status.

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act isn’t the only wage-and-hour law employers must honor. Many states and municipalities have their own laws that are just as binding. Ignoring them can spell big trouble.

With each change in administration, there’s a change in how federal agencies operate. When President-elect Trump takes office Jan. 20, expect rapid change at the U.S. Department of Labor.

California arguably has the most restrictive independent contractor rules of all. Following them means you likely will pass any of the less stringent tests with flying colors.

The Department of Labor has appealed a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that overturned the Biden administration’s rule that would have made some 4 million more white-collar workers eligible for overtime pay.