On January 20th, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a final rule that interprets joint employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The final rule provides updated guidance for determining joint employer status when an employee performs work for his or her employer that simultaneously benefits another individual or entity, including guidance on the identification of certain factors that are not relevant when determining joint employer status.

Among other clarifications and provisions, the final DOL rule:

  • specifies that when an employee performs work for the employer that simultaneously benefits another person, that person will be considered a joint employer when that person is acting directly or indirectly in the interest of the employer in relation to the employee;
  • provides a four-factor balancing test to determine when a person is acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to the employee;
  • clarifies that an employee’s “economic dependence” on a potential joint employer does not determine whether it is a joint employer under the FLSA;
  • specifies that an employer’s franchisor, brand and supply, or similar business model and certain contractual agreements or business practices do not make joint employer status under the FLSA more or less likely; and
  • provides several examples applying the Department’s guidance for determining FLSA joint employer status in a variety of different factual situations.

The effective date of this final rule is March 16th, 2020.