On Aug. 24, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued Field Assistance Bulletin 2020-5, which clarifies employers’ obligations to track the hours of compensable work of employees who are teleworking. The guidance responds both to the needs created by new telework or remote work arrangements that arose in response to the coronavirus and to other telework or remote work arrangements.

According to a DOL news release, this guidance reaffirms that an employer is required to pay its employees for all hours worked, including work not requested but allowed and work performed at home. Additionally, if the employer knows or has reason to believe that an employee is performing work, the time must be counted as hours worked.

In addition to this guidance, WHD’s compliance assistance materials and resources on COVID-19 include a Fact Sheet for Employees, a Fact Sheet for Employers and a Questions and Answers resource about paid sick and expanded family and medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

For more comprehensive coronavirus resources, visit abc.org/coronavirus.