UPDATE: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ISSUES NEW RULE ON OVERTIME PAY

The Department of Labor issued a final rule in September of 2019 that could allow an additional 1.3 million more American workers to become eligible to receive overtime pay. This new rule becomes effective on January 1, 2020.
One key focus of the new rule is to update the earning thresholds that exempt certain professional, executive and administrative employees from the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) minimum wage and overtime pay guidelines. The new rule is also designed to allow employers to count portions of some bonuses and commissions toward meeting the required salary level.
These adjustments are being made to recognize the increase in employee earnings that have occurred since these salary thresholds were last reviewed in 2004.
Earning levels and other specific issues addressed by the new DOL rule

• Changes are being made to the “standard salary level.” At present, the enforced earning level is $455 per week – and that’s being raised to $684 per week (or $35,568 for an entire year);
• There’s an increase in the total annual compensation requirements for workers categorized as “highly compensated employees.” The current enforced level of $100,000 a year is now being raised to $107,432 annually;
• Employers can now count nondiscretionary incentive payments, bonuses and commissions paid at least once annually. These sums can now be added to help satisfy as much as 10% of what’s now known as the standard salary level – recognizing how pay practices are evolving;
• Salary levels have now been revised for specific groups of workers. These include people who labor in U. S. territories – or individuals employed by the motion picture industry.

Some of the many earlier overtime pay guidelines that still apply

• Unlimited overtime hours.  The FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) still allows exempt employees age 16 and older to work an unlimited number of overtime hours during any one workweek;
• Timely payment of overtime. Employers must pay for all hours worked, including overtime, on each regular pay day;
• When overtime pay is required. Once a non-exempt worker has put in at least 40 hours during any one calendar workweek (which can begin on any day of the week), the overtime pay rate applies.

If you have any questions about how the new DOL overtime pay rule may affect your workforce, please give one of our Murray Lobb attorneys a call. We’re also available to provide legal advice on many other important topics – and can draft any contracts or other documents you may need.

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