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Effective August 23, 2004
On July 24, 2004, the United State Department of Labor issued new rules regarding eligibility for overtime under the Fair Labor
Standards Act. The new rules will go into effect on August 23, 2004 unless some unexpected action by the Congress occurs to block
implementation. As of this date, there have been attempts to block implementation but nothing, as yet as passed. Even if Congress
does act to block implementation, the President has indicated that he will veto any such attempt thereby requiring Congress to
muster a 2/3 majority which, to date, has not been possible.
Following this introduction, you will find a checklist that outlines the various tests for exemption that have been outlined in the
new rules. The new rules are easier to follow and determining the exemption status should be much easier than it has been in the
past for many jobs. In applying the applicable tests to the job, it is important that you have a thorough knowledge of the job in
question including its essential duties and the required knowledge and skill needed to perform the work. This will involve a
thorough analysis of the individual position or, potentially, all positions within the job classification. You will need the
information to appropriately determine whether the duties meet the criteria specified by the Department of Labor. Failure to
correctly determine the exemption status can result in substantial additional cost to the employer; either through paying overtime
to positions that could be exempt or incorrectly exempting a position or job classification thereby subjecting the employer to
substantial back pay and penalties should the affected employee ever dispute their exemption status.
Fox Lawson & Associates, a division of Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc can assist you in analyzing the work performed by individual positions or groups of positions and
then recommend the appropriate FLSA exemption status, should you need assistance in performing these tasks.
Exemption Worksheet (All Tests)
Employee: _____________________________
Job Title: _______________________________
Department: ____________________________
Date: __________________________________
The employee must meet all of the requirements of one of the exemption tests as outlined below to be eligible for exemption under
the FLSA. (Employees earning more than $100,000 in total annual compensation are only required to customarily and regularly perform
one of the exempt duties of the Administrative, Executive, or Professional tests.)
Please indicate the exemption test that applies to this employee and complete the corresponding exemption test matrix below:
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Administrative Exemption:
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Requirement for Exemption
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Does employee meet the requirement?
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Describe how employee meets the requirement? |
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Salary
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$455/week
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Duties
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Primary duty of performing office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business
operations of the employer or the employer's customers
Exercises discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance
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Executive Exemption:
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Requirement for Exemption
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Does employee meet the requirement?
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Describe how employee meets the requirement? |
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Salary
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$455/week
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Duties
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Primary duty of managing the enterprise or a recognized department of subdivision
Customarily and regularly directs the work of two or more other employees (or their equivalent)
Has the authority to hire or fire other employees (or whose recommendations as to the hiring, firing, advancement,
promotion, or any other change of status of other employees are given particular weight)
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Learned Professional Exemption:
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Requirement for Exemption
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Does employee meet the requirement?
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Describe how employee meets the requirement? |
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Salary
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$455/week
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Duties
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Primary duty of the performance of work requiring advanced knowledge, defined as work, which is predominantly intellectual
in character and includes work requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment
Advanced knowledge must be in a field of science or learning
Advance knowledge must be customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction
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Creative Professional Exemption:
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Requirement for Exemption
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Does employee meet the requirement?
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Describe how employee meets the requirement? |
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Salary
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$455/week
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Duties
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Primary duty of the performance of work requiring invention, imagination, originality or talent in a recognized field of
artistic endeavor
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Computer Professional Exemption:
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Requirement for Exemption
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Does employee meet the requirement?
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Describe how employee meets the requirement? |
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Salary
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$455/week or $27.63/hour
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Duties
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Employed as a computer systems analyst, computer programmer, software engineer, or other similarly skilled worker in the
computer field performing the following duties:
- Application of systems analysis techniques and procedures, including consulting with users to determine hardware,
software, or system functional applications, OR
- Design, development, documentation, analysis creation, testing, or modification of computer systems or programs,
including prototypes, based on and related to user or system design specifications, OR
- Design, documentation, testing, creation, or modification of computer programs related to machine operating systems, OR
- A combination of duties described in (a), (b), (c), the performance of which requires the same level of skills
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Outside Sales Exemption:
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Requirement for Exemption
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Does employee meet the requirement?
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Describe how employee meets the requirement? |
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Salary
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None Required
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Duties
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Primary duty of making sales (any sale, exchange, contract to sell, consignment for sales, shipment for sale or other
disposition including the transfer of title to tangible property, and in certain cases of tangible and valuable evidences
of intangible property), or obtaining orders or contracts for services or for the use of facilities for which a
consideration will be paid by the client of customer
The employee must be customarily and regularly engaged away from the employer's place or places of business
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