The Fair Labor Standards Act:
Extending the Act to State and Local Government Employees
HRD-88-86: Published: Jun 29, 1988. Publicly Released: Jul 26, 1988.
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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division's (WHD) implementation of a Supreme Court decision which, along with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Amendments of 1985, extended FLSA to additional state and local government employees.
GAO found that WHD initially implemented the decision and amendments by: (1) establishing a technical assistance program for state and local government employees and employers; (2) issuing implementation regulations; (3) establishing investigative policies and providing staff training for review of complaints of FLSA noncompliance; and (4) obtaining additional compliance officer positions to carry out enforcement activities. GAO also found that: (1) WHD investigated, reconciled, or closed 1,612 of the 2,105 state and local government employee complaints it received during fiscal years 1985 through 1987; (2) the investigations caused state and local government employers with alleged FLSA violations to pay $4.2 million in back wages; (3) WHD issued several hundred opinion letters regarding FLSA applicability to specific situations; (4) employer and employee organizations generally had positive views on WHD implementation of the decision and amendments and on state and local governments' compliance with FLSA; and (5) two unions and one employer organization expressed dissatisfaction with the timeliness and adequacy of WHD responses to requests for opinion letters.
Oct 19, 2020
Fair Labor Standards Act:
Observations on the Effects of the Home Care RuleGAO-21-72: Published: Oct 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 19, 2020.
Jun 22, 2020
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Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act:
Additional DOL Actions Needed to Help States and Employers Address Substance Use DisorderGAO-20-337: Published: May 21, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 22, 2020.
Apr 14, 2020
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Job Corps:
DOL Should Provide Greater Transparency in Communicating Its Rationale for Closure DecisionsGAO-20-240R: Published: Apr 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Apr 14, 2020.
Feb 14, 2020
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National Mediation Board:
Additional Actions Needed to Fully Implement Prior GAO Recommendations and Improve Agency Management and OversightGAO-20-236: Published: Feb 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Feb 14, 2020.
Feb 10, 2020
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National Weather Service:
Information on Contractor Selection and Work Performed for Its Operations and Workforce Analysis ProjectGAO-20-271R: Published: Jan 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Feb 10, 2020.
Sep 9, 2019
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Job Corps:
Actions Needed to Improve Planning for Center Operation ContractsGAO-19-326: Published: Aug 8, 2019. Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2019.
Apr 10, 2019
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Priority Open Recommendations:
Department of LaborGAO-19-395SP: Published: Apr 3, 2019. Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2019.
Apr 9, 2019
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Military Spouse Employment:
Participation in and Efforts to Promote the My Career Advancement Account ProgramGAO-19-320R: Published: Apr 9, 2019. Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2019.
Apr 8, 2019
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Workforce Automation:
Better Data Needed to Assess and Plan for Effects of Advanced Technologies on JobsGAO-19-257: Published: Mar 7, 2019. Publicly Released: Apr 8, 2019.
Mar 28, 2019
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Employment and Training Programs:
Department of Labor Should Assess Efforts to Coordinate Services Across ProgramsGAO-19-200: Published: Mar 28, 2019. Publicly Released: Mar 28, 2019.
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