DOL Gives Employers Guidance on Tracking Covid-19 Telework Surge

Businesses and employees each play a role in ensuring all hours worked away from the office are properly compensated, the U.S. Labor Department said in new guidance encouraging employers to develop a system for workers to report uncompensated time.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division advised Monday that employers must pay workers for all hours worked remotely that the business knew about or had reason to believe were performed—wading into an employment issue that’s taken on heightened importance during the pandemic. That can include situations where the employer didn’t want the employee to work extra hours.

“Due to the coronavirus ...