WAGES AND FAIR LABOR STANDARD ACT
The U.S. Department of Labor announced in 2016 changes to the Wages and Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) overtime exemption rules. The minimum salary threshold required for an employee to be considered as exempt for overtime payment has changed. The salary threshold is $47,476.
FSLA FAQs
FLSA stands for Fair Labor Standards Act; it is enforced by the US Department of Labor. It is a federal law that determines eligibility for overtime pay. Major changes to these rules and regulations were last implemented by the Department of Labor in 2004. If you perform duties that do not meet one of the exemption tests developed, the position will be classified as ‘non-exempt” and you are eligible for overtime pay.
There is a two part test: the salary test and then the duties test.
General information, including an explanation of the salary test change, can be found on the US Department of Labor website.
The federal effective date of this change is December 1, 2016.
Employees and their supervisors will be notified in late August or early September.
Overtime pay is calculated at one and a half times your regular rate of pay. Overtime pay is applicable for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a given workweek.
- The workweek begins 12:00 AM Saturday and ends at 11:59 PM Friday.
- Contact your Human Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC) representative for further assistance.
No, the paygrade will not change.
Yes. If the position is labeled as an exempt position, the new minimum hiring salary will be $47,476 regardless if the job title is assigned to a paygrade with a lower minimum salary.
No. The change will be based on the title University-wide not just one the position.
Take your yearly salary and divide it by 2080. For example:
- $45,000/2080 = 21.634615384
- The hourly rate will be $21.63
You must have prior approval from your supervisor. Any time worked must be paid for; this includes reviewing/responding to work e-mails or working weekends if you are not scheduled to do so.
You must have immediate supervisor’s approval prior to working any additional hours.
Overtime is based on hours worked over 40 hours a week. Each workweek stands alone; averaging hours worked over two or more workweeks is not permitted by the FLSA.
It depends. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Contact your HRAC Representative.
The job duties will not change. To qualify for exemption, employees must meet certain requirements related to their job duties and satisfy the standard salary level and salary basis tests. Unless an employee works in an occupation that is not subject to the salary requirements (e.g., outside sales employees, doctors, teachers, lawyers), they must earn at least $913 per week (equivalent to $47,476 per year) beginning on December 1, 2016 to retain their exempt status.
If the PRF on file is older than three years old or duties have changed since the last review, then the answer is yes.If there are no changes in duties and responsibilities and the PRF on file is not older than three years old then the answer is no.
To qualify for any of the white-collar exemptions, employees generally must meet the salary basis test, the salary level test, and the duties test. Generally, if an exempt employee subject to the salary level test works for any amount of time during their workweek, they must receive at least the full standard salary level ($913 per week, beginning on Dec. 1, 2016) to retain their exempt status. Please see FOH 22g10 concerning rules for annual salary earned in a shorter period, which can be found at FOH Chapter 22.
Georgia State University could be fined a penalty by the US Department of Labor.
The Central Office – Human Resources department, with input from the colleges and divisions.
Yes, but any calls received after hours is considered paid time. The employee must be paid for this time.
Overtime is based on hours worked over 40 hours a week. Each workweek stands alone; averaging hours worked over two or more workweeks is not permitted by the FLSA.
To Be Determined – Policy is being developed by the Board of Regents.
Generally, graduate and undergraduate students who are engaged in research under a faculty member’s supervision in the course of obtaining a degree are considered to be in an educational relationship and not an employment relationship and therefore not entitled to overtime.
- Graduate students whose primary duty is teaching or serving as a teaching assistant fall under the FLSA’s teaching exemption.
- Postdoctoral researchers in the sciences are not covered by the teaching exemption. These employees are generally considered professional employees and are subject to the salary threshold for exemption from overtime.
- Postdoctoral researchers in the humanities also teach. To the extent that they have a primary duty of teaching, they will be subject to the teaching exemption and not entitled to overtime compensation. If they do not teach, however, and earn less than the new threshold, they will be eligible for overtime.
If there are no changes in duties and responsibilities and the PRF on file is not older than three years old then the answer is no.
FLSA changes will be based on the job title not by individual positions. If your position is one of those titles that will be changed, you have the following options:
- Raise salary to at least the new salary threshold to remain exempt.
- Pay overtime for hours in excess of 40 hours per week.
- Reorganize workloads, adjust schedules or spread work duties.
- Adjust wages.
Whether a worker is full-time or part-time, the standard salary level to qualify for exemption will be $913 per week. The salary level is not prorated for part-time employees.
No. For Executive, Administrative, Professional or White Collar employees to qualify for exemption under section 13(a) (1) of the Act, an employee must earn the minimum salary amount set forth in section 541.600, "exclusive of board, lodging, or other facilities." The phrase "exclusive of board, lodging, or other facilities" means "free and clear" or independent of any claimed credit for non-cash items of value that an employer may provide to an employee. Please see 29 CFR 541.606 for more information.
Workers who do not pass the standard duties test, including most secretarial staff, do not qualify for exemption and will be entitled to overtime pay.
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