Labor law basics every owner should know
You don't need to be an attorney. You do need to know which lines you can't cross.
Overtime, breaks, and final pay
Three categories where small-shop violations are most common, and most expensive. State rules vary widely. Confirm yours.
Wage and hour records
Time worked, breaks taken, pay rate, hours per day. Keep records for at least four years. Missing records swing borderline disputes against the employer.
When in doubt, call an employment attorney
A 15-minute call before you act is dramatically cheaper than the fix after. Build the relationship with one before you need them.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.