Compliance Stuff

A new federal law enacted last year provides a tax benefit to employees who receive overtime pay – but calling it a “No Tax on Overtime” law is a bit of misnomer. For starters, OT pay remains taxable and subject to withholding rules. And while a new income tax deduction may be available to some employees who work overtime, only a limited portion of  federally  required overtime compensation is tax deductible. We’ll clear up some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding these new rules and provide some key employer takeaways – which will become especially important this tax season and beyond as more employees learn the realities of these rules and the IRS cracks down on employers’ new filing and information reporting obligations.   Overview of “No Tax on Overtime” The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which President Trump signed into law last year, includes a new federal income tax deduction related to overtime pay. This new deduction: applies for tax years  2025...

In a sweeping move set to reshape employee paychecks, the newly enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduces two significant federal tax deductions for hourly workers: one for overtime pay and another for tip income. Dubbed the “No Tax on Overtime” and “No Tax on Tips” provisions, these changes mean that from 2025 through 2028, many employees can exclude a portion of their overtime wages and tip earnings from federal taxable income . This offers a welcome tax break for workers across various sectors – from nurses and factory employees logging extra hours to servers and bartenders collecting tips. However, it also raises key wage-and-hour considerations for employers nationwide. Businesses of all kinds must navigate new payroll reporting requirements, adjust withholding practices, and consider broader impacts on compensation structures and labor strategies. This alert provides an overview of the OBBBA’s deductions, explains who is affected, and outlines best practices for emplo...