With the increased interest in cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the employment lawyer in me started thinking about whether it would be legal for employers to pay employees in cryptocurrency.  NFL player Sean Culkin was already one-step ahead of me, and last month said he may want his $920,000 salary from the Kansas City Chiefs paid in Bitcoin.  Here are five issues employers should understand about cryptocurrencies and the blockchain, and how it will likely impact the employment setting in the next few years:

1. What is a cryptocurrency and the blockchain?

Cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Bitcoin, are virtual currencies that exits on the blockchain.  A blockchain is a type of database, but by using blockchain technology it is much more secure than a standard database and allows many different people to access and record transactions at the same time.  At the time of publishing this article, Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two largest cryptocurrencies (“crypto”) by market capitalization.  More information about cryptos can be read here.  A very detailed explanation about cryptos and how blockchains work can be read here.

2. Can employers pay wages in forms other than U.S. currency, such as in Bitcoin or Ethereum?

Paying employees in crypto could be used to attract talent or make payments to employees located around the world easier for a multinational company.  But would it be legal?  Under federal law, the Federal Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) mandates “payments of the prescribed wages, including [minimum wage and] overtime compensation, in cash or negotiable instrument payable at par.” 29 CFR § 531.27(a).  Presumably, one could make the case that a payment to an employee in crypto would be a payment “at par” as long as the conversion rate was equal to the applicable minimum wage rate or other required salary amounts to meet the definition of an exempt employee.  Indeed, the Department of Labor has stated in the past that employers could combine the value of U.S. Dollars and foreign currency “in order to satisfy the minimum salary requirement for the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) executive, administrative, and professional exemption.”  If crypto is accepted as a valid currency, it seems reasonable that crypto should be treated similarly to foreign currencies in this regard.

Under California law, Labor Code section 200(a) defines wages as “all amounts for labor performed by employees of every description, whether the amount is fixed or ascertained by the standard of time, task, piece, commission basis, or other method of calculation.” There is no specification that wages must only be paid in U.S. Dollars.  California courts have also held that wages are “not only the periodic monetary earnings of the employee but also the other benefits to which he is entitled as a part of his compensation.” Wise v. Southern Pacific Co. (1970).  Wages can include money, room, board, clothing, vacation pay (a form of deferred compensation) and sick pay.

California Labor Code section 212 also prohibits employers from paying employees in “script, coupon, cards, or other thing redeemable, in merchandise or purporting to be payable or redeemable otherwise than in money.”  This section was designed to make it illegal for employers to pay employees with a coupon that was only redeemable at the “company store”, a past practice documented in the song “Sixteen Tons” written by Merle Travis.

A California court explained, “The accepted purpose of Labor Code section 212 is to prevent employers from paying wages by giving orders … payable only in goods, or orders of an indefinite nature not payable on demand, but at some future time, or paychecks which cannot be honored because of the drawee’s insufficient funds.”  Brown v. Superior Court (2011).  However, since cryptocurrency is a form of “money,” and Labor Code section 212 does not specifically require U.S. currency, there is an argument that section 212 does not prohibit payment of wages in cryptocurrency.  As set forth above, “wages” under California Labor Code section 200 can take many forms, not just fiat currency.

Until there is further guidance on this issue under the FLSA and California law, employers who are looking to pay employees in crypto could take a hybrid approach.  The employer could avoid many of these foundational issues by paying the employee minimum wage or the required salary needed to meet an exemption in U.S. Dollars, and then offer the employee additional payment in crypto.  While employers considering this type of hybrid approach would still need to be careful not to run afoul various federal, state, and local regulations, the approach would remove some of the more fundamental issues that the legal system will need time to develop regulations to catch up to the technology.

3. California’s additional restrictions on forms of wages.

Employers considering paying employees in crypto would also need to navigate other areas of the California Labor Code.  For example, Labor Code section 212 California requires that wages must be payable without discount.  Therefore, any transaction fees that an employee must pay to redeem or access the cryptocurrency would violate this provision.  Moreover, Labor Code section 212 requires payments by “order, check, draft, note, memorandum, or other acknowledgement of indebtedness” to show the name and address of an establishment within California where the instrument can be redeemed.  Since crypto is virtual, it is an open question regarding how this requirement would apply to payments made to employees.  It also raises the potential argument that since crypto currency is not “negotiable and payable in cash, on demand…at some established place of business in the state,” it is not a valid form of “money” to make payments to employees.  On the other hand, it could be argued that crypto is redeemable anywhere in California with an internet connection, and an employee can “cash” their crypto into their bank account almost instantaneously.

4. Value fluctuation issues.

With the volatility of cryptocurrency, there could also be potential issues regarding the value of the cryptocurrency in terms of when it is paid to employees.  Given the volatility of crypto, there could be wide valuation fluctuations even from the end of the payroll period to the time that the employee receives the payment.  There would also be potential calculation issues regarding the appropriate conversion rate employers would need to make if an employee was owed past unpaid wages, or premium wages for missed meal or rest breaks.  What if the crypto currency increased in value over 500% since the time it is determined that an employee was owed a premium wage for a missed meal break?  Could the employer pay the employee the value of the crypto at the time the missed meal break occurred, or would the employer need to pay the current increased value of the crypto?

5. Future potential of the blockchain in the employment setting.

Beyond cryptocurrency, the blockchain technology will likely become a part of everyday life and will have many applications in the employment context.  Since a blockchain is like a database that can store private information, the blockchain could be used by employees to prove educational history, work history, and the attainment of certain certifications.  In 2017, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has issued students virtual diplomas recorded on the blockchain, that the students can securely share with whomever they choose.  Likewise, employers could utilize the technology to issue titles, internal certifications, and record dates of employment to create a digital record that employees could chose to share the information with when searching for another job or verifying salary for a loan.