On January 10, 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule (the Final Rule) regarding independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Final Rule, which is effective March 11, 2024, replaces the 2021 rule and applies a “six-factor” test that does not give a predetermined weight to any of the economic reality factors, but rather looks at the individual’s activity as a whole in determining whether they are an independent contractor.

The federal government will officially shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, October 1, unless Congress agrees to pass a spending bill or a continuing resolution. The Biden administration yesterday began notifying federal employees that a shutdown is likely. This would be the fourth government shutdown in the past ten years, the longest of which lasted 34 days.