A member asked us: We pay a flat daily amount of $15 to our techs which we call a “travel fee.” Should this payment be considered part of a tech’s compensation, and if so, should the payment be counted when the tech works overtime? If the tech is an independent contractor, getting a 1099, do overtime rules apply? What are the requirements to be classified as an independent contractor? Brooke Duncan, from the law firm Adams and Reese in New Orleans, LA, responds: Hourly employees must be paid at least minimum wage for all hours they are in the service of the employer, and that includes time spent in going from one assignment to another. Travel time ...