By Steve Kania, Vice President of Product Management, SurePayroll
Paying overtime is another one of those essential payroll functions that many employers deal with, but still can present some complications and intricacies. As the accountant to business owners, it’s important you understand the applicable laws and the nuances of those laws.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers pay time and one-half the regular rate of pay for nonexempt employees for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Some states require additional overtime pay, including overtime based on the hours worked in a day.
The tricky part is that “working” doesn't just mean cranking things out in a factory, behind a desk or any other work environment. If someone is required to be on duty at the place of business or where the job is being done, this may also be included in “hours worked.”
Hours worked doesn't necessarily mean employees have to be actively engaged in a task, either. Travel time, rest periods, waiting time or even, “on call” time may be considered time worked.
We’ll delve deeper into when you need to pay overtime next week.