Even after a disaster, employers must comply with the FLSA.

• Position: Nuts & Bolts

In September 2018, Hurricane Florence hit the Carolinas and Virginia, dumping record amounts of rain on the area. The water added to totals accrued during an already very wet summer.

Then in October, Hurricane Michael roared ashore on Florida's Gulf Coast, the fourth most powerful hurricane ever to strike the U.S. mainland.

Damage from the storms is likely to continue to affect businesses in both regions for many months. However, the need for solid payroll processes won't take time off. The wage-and-hour rules employers must follow every day also apply during and after disasters.

THE LAW The Fair Labor Standards Act and related state wage-and-hour laws dictate the rules for employee pay. When weather disasters hit, employees may not be able to make it to work. Workplaces may be shut down or inaccessible. Normal operating procedures may run head-on into the FLSA's requirements.

The FLSA classifies employees as either exempt or nonexempt from minimum wage and overtime pay. Exempt employees are executive, administrative or professional capacities who are paid on a salary basis and compensated at a...