The Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) continues to provide fertile ground for plaintiffs’ attorneys and to be an enforcement priority for the Department of Labor. In this presentation, we will provide a brief overview of recent trends in FLSA litigation and Department of Labor investigations to assist participants in understanding potential liabilities. Then we will discuss the fundamentals of federal wage and hour law including the following (1) the employer-employee relationship, which will include an examination of recent guidance regarding independent contractor classifications, the standards for examining unpaid internship programs, and the existence of joint employer relationships in the context of franchisor-franchisee and contractor-subcontractor relationships, (2) employment relationships that are exempted from the FLSA’s requirements on minimum wage and overtime, (3) what actually constitutes “work time” under the FLSA, and (4) minimum wage and overtime requirements. This presentation is a good introductory course for those who are new to this area of the law and is also a good refresher course for those who have participated in wage and hour audits, investigations, and lawsuits in the past.