“If you are an HR leader who offers Earned Wage Access (or is considering offering EWA) and you aren’t operating under the assumption that your employees will need a product where there are zero fees, you need to get prepared…like now,” says fintech entrepreneur Jason Lee. In July, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a historic interpretive rule which has the potential to upend the EWA market. And with it, whatever EWA offering you make available to your workers. Employer-partnered EWA providers sent over 83 million payments to employees in 2022, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with more than 90% of workers paying at least one fee. Under the proposed rule, EWA products would be subject to the Truth in Lending Act, which requires disclosure upfront of all fees. Workers would see EWA fees expressed as an APR, like credit-card interest rates. The typical Earned-Wage-Access user pays fees that amount to a 109.5% APR, per CFPB. The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation finds such fees to be more than 330% for the average user. Meanwhile, the Center for Responsible Lending says, the average APR for a repaid payroll advance in 7 to 14 days is 367%, almost the same as a typical payday loan APR (400%). How’s that for number salad? The point is Earned-Wage-Access costs can add up for your workers, regardless of what we call the products, regulatorily speaking. It’s inaccurate to call Earned Wage Access a loan or an advance since it grants workers access to money they’ve already earned, says Phil Goldfeder, CEO of the American Fintech Council, a trade group representing earned-wage-access providers, per CNBC: “I would resemble it closer to utilizing an ATM machine and getting charged a fee…You can’t utilize a methodology like APR to determine the appropriate costs for a product like this.” Mitria Wilson Spotser, vice president and federal policy director at the Center for Responsible Lending, tells CNBC the proposed rule doesn't ban fees: “It merely requires them to disclose it…You have to ask yourself, why is the industry so afraid to disclose that they’re charging these fees?” Whether CFPB revises its proposed Earned-Wage-Access rule or not, as Spencer Hulse puts it in Financial Tech Times: “…it’s clear that we’re heading in the direction of zero-fee EWA in the not-too-distant future.” What do you think, employers? ❔ Does EWA = loan? ❔ Are you prepared to adapt, whether regulators or market forces force your hand? Let us know in the comments. And note the CFPB is soliciting comments from the public until Aug. 30. We dive deeper in our latest article, link in first comment. #financialwellness #benefits #employers #smallbusiness
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Payroll Pointer Thinking about giving your employees early wage access? You may want to put a pin in that if you employ in Connecticut or California. Recent reports say there will be a bill in those states to clarify whether early wage is different than a pay day loan. Before taking the time to implement a program like this, you may want to pause until all the wrinkles are ironed out. #payroll #payrollmanagement #earnedwageaccess
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Earned wage access (EWA) is a somewhat expensive service for hourly or low wage workers to gain a subset of their earnings nearly as soon as they have earned them. These apps are even offered as "benefits" by some employers. Be very sure that you understand the costs AND benefits before you use the service.
These apps allow workers to get paid between paychecks. Experts say there are steep costs
latimes.com
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A recent Center for Responsible Lending report on earned wage access (EWA) paints an incomplete picture. While the direct-to-consumer model might have drawbacks, employer-based EWA offers a valuable tool for many workers. Here's the reality: EWA allows access to a portion of already earned wages before payday, reducing reliance on expensive payday loans and overdrafts. Research by the Innovative Payments Association shows that 63% of EWA users with employer-based models report using payday loans less often. But don't just take our word for it. A recent Financial Health Network study quote perfectly captures EWA's value: "I have tried payday loans, credit cards, car title loans ... Getting advanced wages I have earned through my employer is actually the safer alternative." EWA is a game-changer for many, providing a safety net for vulnerable consumers facing income volatility. Unlike predatory payday loans, EWA allows access to already-earned wages without incurring high fees or interest. An incomplete analysis of EWA could lead to regulations that harm consumers by limiting access to this valuable tool. Let's have a full conversation about EWA. One size doesn't fit all, and employer-based EWA can be a financial wellness benefit for many workers. For additional information, read Ben Jackson's lastet blog post https://lnkd.in/gNQg2juK #FinancialInclusion #EarnedWageAccess #FinancialLiteracy #ConsumerChoice
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Who wants to turn an established #Payroll business practice into an onerous, less beneficial experience for employers and employees? Check out how programs successfully providing earned wage access, or on-demand pay for nearly 10 years would need to fundamentally change under a new proposed rule. https://lnkd.in/epYMzh3T
[US] Flexible Wage Access Bar Would Be Raised by Watchdog Agency
globalpayrollassociation.com
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a proposal to classify payroll advances as consumer loans, subjecting them to the Truth in Lending Act's regulations. This move aims to prevent delays in workers receiving pay and mitigate debt cycles. The rule could disrupt the earned wage access industry, particularly for companies that charge fees or request tips. Employers offering free, fee-free advances will be exempt. The interpretive rule is open for public comment through August 30. #HR #HumanResources #Payroll #TotalRewards #CFPB #TruthinLendingAct
CFPB says payroll advances are loans; major blow to earned wage industry
americanbanker.com
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CFPB says "Earned Wage Access" apps are actually lenders. My google alerts are lighting up with this development and the internets are posting articles about it all over the place. Earned Wage Access has been dominating without having to be licensed in states where they operate, and without having to work with a myriad of different state rules and regs. So now they may be deemed lenders and have to get licenses. Aside from lower costs compared to most payday services, one of the biggest selling points of Earned Wage Access is the simplicity and ease that workers can simply grab some of their money earned but not yet been paid. A couple clicks and the money is in the account. If Earned Wage has to get licensed in the different states, that means loan agreements, disclosures, payment schedules, minimum terms, maximum terms, rate caps etc. Wondering how that will impact the user friendly experience and the low cost. I did see EarnIn pulled out of Connecticut in after caps were placed on what they could charge there. What about Texas? How will the APR's work? If Earned Wage wants to operate in Texas above the Chapter 342 allowable rates then that means CSO/CAB model? I see Earnin billboards all over City of Austin so now will they have to abide by the City of Austin Payday Loan Ordinance terms too? Going CSO/CAB plus abiding by the ordinances could be much more complicated than what Connecticut put in place to regulate. Consumers like the app function, the cost, and the simplicity. The tech option on payday services is the way of the future this is just another time when companies will need to evolve. Regulation was absent in the early days and now the industry achieved scale and regulators are knocking with the consumer advocates alongside. CFPB comment period is open now until August 31st. I am not sure what happens after the comment period is over or if any potential effective dates are out there. Questions - will there be lawsuits? Will that delay any effective dates on this rule? Will states escalate and start writing more bills in the legislatures? Will some folks wind down their Earned Wage Access companies? The more access to credit the better, the less rules and restrictions the better. Will see which way this one goes!
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Looking for a way to help your employees? "Research shows that employees with earned wage access are better equipped to pay bills on time and avoid the endless cycle of debt. According to data from Arizent, nearly 7 in 10 users who previously paid late fees do this less often or have stopped completely since using DailyPay. Moreover, 62% of users who previously incurred credit card interest charges do this less often or stopped completely since they started using DailyPay."
How Earned Wage Access Is Disrupting The Last Thing You Wait For: Your Pay
ibtimes.co.uk
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The paycheck that you know of currently today is undergoing MAJOR disruption, and the disruption is Earned Wage Access! Earned Wage Access (EWA) is gaining momentum in the US, with major corporations like Walmart and Amazon already offering in-house EWA programs for their employees. EWA allows employees to collect their pay at the end of each workday, providing a solution for those who run out of money before the end of the standard pay period. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also announced that it will be issuing federal guidance on EWA soon. This is encouraging news for proponents of EWA who believe that it can help scores of Americans cover daily expenses such as food, gas, and utility bills. Are you excited about the future of EWA? Share your thoughts in the comments below. #EWA #paycheck #financialinclusion #chro #cfo #ceo #cio #workday #onesourcevirtual #payondemand.
Facing mounting debt, three-quarters of U.S. workers want to get paid every day
finance.yahoo.com
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See how we combined Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Data with Department of Labor Wage & Hour Compliance Data in seconds. Explore the joined datasets and try it yourself with Placekey! https://lnkd.in/eX2ywfTe
Joining PPP Loans and Labor Violation Data with Placekey for Deeper Insights
placekey.io
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If you are accustomed to the ability to gain access to wages immediately or early (also known as earned wage access, daily pay, instant pay, accrued wage access, same-day pay and on-demand pay) there may be changes forthcoming. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a rule that would label paycheck advance programs as loans, if users are charged a fee. Under the proposed rule, users would see fees expressed as an APR, like credit-card interest rates. #employeepay #wages #consumerlending #workforcetrends #employeetrends https://lnkd.in/gX5bKpFv
CFPB cracks down on popular paycheck advance programs. Here's what that means for workers
cnbc.com
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