Yesterday the U.S. Department of Labor began enforcement of its Home-Care Rule, which prohibits third-party employers from taking advantage of the overtime exemption for some domestic workers. The rule also narrows the definition of exempt "companionship services" under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Ellen Kearns, co-chair of our firm's Wage and Hour Practice Group, and I (mostly Ellen) wrote about this in more depth last month.

Although the Rule is being enforced, the DOL has said that it will exercise its prosecutorial discretion between now and the end of the calendar year, particularly for employers who have made good-faith efforts to comply.