In the Federalist Papers, James Madison advocated for ratification of the Constitution, citing to the limited powers of the “general government,” and stating that “the states, in all unenumerated cases, are left in the enjoyment of their sovereign and independent jurisdiction.” So began the great federalism experiment of our Constitution.
Fast-forward more than 225 years and the reality of federalism in the patchwork of various wage-and-hour laws throughout the United States is breathtaking in its challenges for employers. This is especially so for multistate employers operating in several jurisdictions with varying wage-and-hour requirements.
