Benefits Think Tip of the Day

There really is no such thing as a free lunch, as the Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Team recently ruled employers “must compensate the employee for all hours worked, including the time worked during the missed meal period.” The ruling follows an inquiry from an employer asking how to interpret the Fair Labor Standards Act if an employee works through a designated lunch period if doing so violates company policy. If your company mandates meal breaks, be sure to read the DOL’s opinion letter on the topic.