Compliance
Payroll Compliance Benchmarks for 2025 by Penalty, Accuracy and Automation
Payroll compliance failures carry real financial weight. The U.S. Department of Labor can assess civil money penalties up to $2,374 per willful or repeat FLSA violation (DOL WHD, 2024), and inaccurate time records cost employers 2 to 5% of gross payroll according to published industry benchmarks (EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software, manufacturing solution overview). This catalog organizes 18 payroll compliance benchmarks across five categories so you can measure your operation against documented thresholds and identify your highest-priority gaps.
Headline Numbers
FLSA civil money penalties reach $2,374 per willful or repeat violation
The DOL Wage and Hour Division updated this figure for 2024. Employers relying on manual time records face elevated exposure because gap-filled timesheets draw closer regulatory scrutiny.
Inaccurate time records cost 2 to 5% of gross payroll
This benchmark, published on the EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software manufacturing solution page, frames the financial exposure that poor time-capture practices create before any penalty is assessed.