On May 10, 2011, the United States Department of Labor ("DOL") launched its first smartphone application, cleverly titled "DOL-Timesheet." The app is available for the iPad and iPhone but may soon become available for Android and Blackberry smartphones.

As employees become more informed of their wage payment rights and as technology puts workplace data literally at their fingertips, employers must ensure that their payroll and recordkeeping systems accurately record all time worked by all employees.

The purpose of the app, according to the DOL, is to help employees "independently track the hours they work and determine the wages they are owed." The functionality of the app is impressive, as it allows users to track regular work hours, break time, and overtime for one or more employees. It is even available in Spanish. What’s more, it provides a glossary, contact information at the Wage and Hour Division of the DOL, and warning screens if, for example, the employee is earning less than the federal minimum wage. The app even allows the user to email a report and summary of his or her hours worked, in daily, weekly, and monthly formats.

Certainly, employees have always had the ability to keep track of their own hours and to compare their own records with what appears on their paycheck. Now, though, this software makes it simple, effective, and easy to communicate. Employees and the Wage and Hour Division now have the ability to monitor time worked for purposes of litigation and DOL investigations. According to the DOL, "[t]his information could prove invaluable during a Wage and Hour Division investigation when an employer has failed to maintain accurate employment records."

This roll-out is the latest step in an ongoing campaign by the DOL to enforce wage payment laws more aggressively. Now is the time to perform a self-audit (see Volume 3 – 2010) to stay ahead of employees who may start tracking their own time with this new app.