In many respects, the Fair Labor Standards Act is straightforward in terms of requirements for companies and workers. Interpreting the act's application to modern business practices can be more involved, however.

Law firm Steptoe and Johnson recently held a panel addressing the use of long-standing FLSA laws in regard to the realities of modern work forces, according to Pittsburgh Business Times. The concept of compensable time and modern business actions driven by technology, like checking emails on a mobile device during nights and weekends, was one of the topics that gathered some attention.

The FLSA defines hours worked as any time that a worker spends performing acts related to his or her position. The act specifically mentions periods that an employee uses to complete tasks, including any time spent on such tasks in general, without regard to employers explicitly specifying work periods. Based on this definition, the small amounts of time spent by staff doing electronic housekeeping tasks like sorting and responding to emails, even when performed at home, could easily require pay.

Employers who have staff that do work at home should consider using an online timeclock, which can remotely track time as needed.

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