Overview

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This course empowers you to master the core components of wage and hour compliance, including regulations around minimum wage, overtime, breaks, and the true legal definition of “hours worked” . You will learn how to correctly classify workers as either employees or independent contractors by applying federal and state standards, such as California’s ABC test and New York’s right to control test. Furthermore, you will learn to accurately apply the salary basis, salary level, and duties tests to distinguish between exempt and non-exempt roles. By completing this course, you will benefit from the ability to protect your organization from significant legal, financial, and operational risks, such as back wages and Department of Labor audits . You will be equipped to identify early warning signs of misclassification and implement proactive corrections before they escalate into costly problems. What makes this course unique is its practical, scenario-driven approach. Instead of merely reciting laws, it focuses on the reality of everyday workplace decisions and habits. It provides HR professionals and leaders with the exact frameworks needed to translate complex legal requirements into consistent, fair, and legally grounded actions.

Syllabus

Wage & Hour Compliance: The Foundations

In this module, you'll explore the legal framework that governs how employees must be paid for their work and why it matters for every HR professional. You'll examine the core components of wage and hour law, how the FLSA is enforced, and what "hours worked" really means in practice, focusing on how compensable time, employer obligations, and compliance risk show up in everyday workplace decisions. By the end of the module, you'll be prepared to recognize the key rules and gray areas of wage and hour compliance and understand why these distinctions are foundational for anyone working in HR, payroll, or people operations.

Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Getting Classification Right

In this module, you'll explore one of the most consequential decisions an organization makes about its workforce -- how workers are classified and why the label matters far more than most people realize. You'll examine the legal and financial risks of misclassification, the federal and state tests used to determine worker status, how those tests apply to real workplace scenarios, and how to correct classification errors when they occur. By the end of the module, you'll be prepared to identify the key factors that distinguish employees from independent contractors and understand why getting this determination right is foundational for anyone responsible for HR compliance.

Exempt vs. Non-Exempt — Classification, Compliance, and Correction

In this module, you'll explore one of the most misunderstood areas of wage and hour law — how employees are classified as exempt or non-exempt and why that determination affects overtime eligibility, timekeeping, and legal risk. You'll examine the three tests that govern exemption status, the common pitfalls that lead to misclassification, and how to correct errors when they occur. By the end of the module, you'll be prepared to evaluate real roles against the legal criteria and understand why exemption is a legal determination, not an organizational preference.

Applying Wage & Hour Knowledge

This final module brings everything together. You'll review key concepts from the course and apply what you've learned to real-world workforce situations. By stepping back and looking across all three areas — wage and hour fundamentals, worker classification, and exempt versus non-exempt status — you'll strengthen your ability to analyze how legal obligations interact, where compliance risk lives, and how HR professionals translate rules into defensible decisions. These are skills that are essential for anyone working in HR, payroll, or people operations.