On June 30, for the first time in a decade, the Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a rule to broaden federal overtime pay regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The proposed changes will affect an estimated 5 million Americans and their employers, making it more difficult to meet the overtime exemption.
The DOL proposed two primary changes to federal overtime pay regulations. Specifically, the DOL proposes to dramatically increase the minimum salary required to qualify for the FLSA exemptions from overtime pay (“white collar” exemptions). Additionally, it proposes to similarly increase the annual compensation requirement for “highly compensated employees” (HCE).