As the Southeast recovers from Hurricane Helene, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued a reminder to employers involved in disaster recovery about their obligations to pay proper wages to workers. The department's Wage and Hour Division offers resources, including a natural disaster compliance assistance toolkit, aimed at helping both workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities.

The toolkit addresses common issues such as minimum and overtime wages, employee misclassification, recordkeeping requirements, prevailing wages, and child labor laws violations. It is available for download in English and Spanish.

Employers are urged to maintain accurate records and ensure timely payment of wages during these challenging times. Juan Coria, Wage and Hour Regional Administrator in Atlanta, stated, “Like the communities stricken by hurricanes and other disasters, workers are especially vulnerable after the fact. The U.S. Department of Labor responds quickly to protect workers and ensure they are paid all of their legally earned wages and benefits.” He added that the department is ready to assist employers with information needed for compliance.

The division emphasizes its commitment to enforcing workplace protections for disaster recovery workers nationwide. For any questions or concerns, workers and employers can contact the agency’s confidential helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243), with support available in over 200 languages.

Additionally, a Timesheet App for iOS and Android devices has been launched by the agency to help track hours worked accurately.