The Labor Department (DOL) highlighted several “self audit” programs to help employers, unions, and pension plans voluntarily assess and improve their compliance with federal labor and employment laws. The following agencies are acting to advance self-audit programs:
- The Wage and Hour Division is restarting the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program to enable employers to self-identify and resolve minimum wage, overtime, and leave violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Family and Medical Leave Act.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is increasing its efforts to support voluntary compliance through its On-Site Consultation Program, which offers no-cost and confidential safety and health services to small and medium-sized businesses.
- The Employee Benefits Security Administration is reminding the public of two self-correction programs for fiduciaries and benefits plan administrators, the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program, which encourages employers and plan officials to voluntarily correct violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and the Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program, which encourages voluntary compliance with ERISA’s annual reporting requirements and offers incentives to late filers, including paying lower penalties.
- The Office of Labor-Management Standards will administer the Voluntary Compliance Partnership program to help unions assess their compliance with the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act.
- The Veterans Employment and Training Service launched a new program, SALUTE: Support and Assistance for Leaders in USERRA Training and Employment, to help employers proactively review their policies and practices under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.