Avoiding dangers in first five minutes of a U.S. Department of Labor Audit

The manager at one of your locations notices an individual enter the establishment. The manager, assuming the individual is a customer, approaches to ask whether he can be of assistance. The individual is not a customer at all; instead, flashing her badge, she reveals she is a wage-and-hour investigator with the U.S. Department of Labor. Is your company prepared? Do your managers know how to respond to the investigator?

Here are some top tips in what to do now, so you are prepared for a Dept. of Labor audit.

1. Have an attorney or human resources professional audit your wage-and-hour practices, and review them at least annually.
2. Make sure managers know what to do in the event the DOL comes knocking at the door.
3. Make sure front-line staff know not to volunteer records or information on the spot to Dept. of Labor agents. They should ensure the investigator that the organization will be cooperative and politely refer the investigator to a district manager or corporate headquarters, who in turn, should have at the ready an attorney or experienced human resources professional available to assist in such matters.

Modern Business Associates deals with wage and labor issues on a frequent basis. As a HR Outsourcing Organization, our clients rely on us to help them effectively deal with these kinds of topics including complex issues around your wage and labor practices. HR Managers at MBA help our clients with understanding how these issues affect your business.