You thought that figuring out, and staying on top of, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act was tough. Well, don’t forget that you must comply with state wage and hour laws as well. Sure, the FLSA is quite nuanced and complex; but each state may have subtle differences when compared to the FLSA. As an employer, your responsibility is to ensure compliance with the FLSA and the state law of each state where you do business. So, for example, if you think your Information Services Department employee in Pennsylvania is “exempt” from the overtime provisions of the FLSA as a computer employee, think again: Pennsylvania law does not recognize the exemption for computer employees! (Hmm . . . better think of another potential exemption to apply to that employee.) Pennsylvania is not the exception — many states have “interesting” differences from the FLSA.

Just because we’re always trying to be helpful – well, also in part because of my participation in the Wage and Hour Defense Institute, we are pleased to provide the 2014 edition of the WHDI’s State-by-State Wage & Hour Law Summary to you, our clients and friends. This Summary offers a unique compilation of the state wage and hour laws which employers must adhere to in addition to the requirements of the FLSA. I hope that you will find this resource of value.