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The proposed overtime rules will not go into effect on Dec. 1. In a closely-watched case brought by 21 states (and joined by numerous business organizations) challenging the Department of Labor’s (DOL) rule amendment which would have roughly doubled the minimum salary threshold for many employees to be considered exempt from federal overtime requirements (set to take effect Dec. 1, 2016), a Texas federal court, on the evening of Nov. 22, issued a nationwide order enjoining the DOL “from implementing and enforcing” its new rule.  Importantly, for employers who have spent considerable time and resources auditing their workforces in anticipation of the new rule, and on the basis of that have determined to reclassify previously exempt employees because their duties are not sufficient to have the individual qualify as exempt, the injunction does not impact any potential reclassification decisions that were based on the duties employees perform. Rather, the injunction impacts only those employees who are performing exempt duties, but would have fallen below the new salary threshold.  Nonetheless, while many questions remain, for now at least employers can “stand down” from steps they were preparing to take to come into compliance with the amended rule.

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Photo of John R. Richards John R. Richards

John Richards is a Shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s Labor & Employment and Retail Industry Practices. John is GT’s Global Co-Chair of the firm’s Retail Industry practice—ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA Nationwide for 15 consecutive years.

John is an established player in the

John Richards is a Shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s Labor & Employment and Retail Industry Practices. John is GT’s Global Co-Chair of the firm’s Retail Industry practice—ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA Nationwide for 15 consecutive years.

John is an established player in the Retail Industry and represents the full range of companies in the retail supply chain. From manufacturers and wholesalers to sellers of everyday consumer products and fashion apparel, companies turn to John and his industry knowledge to efficiently and seamlessly manage their legal needs leveraging GT’s wide-ranging industry experience and platform.

Within GT’s Labor & Employment Practice, John Co-Chairs the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) group and the Workplace Compliance & Counseling group. He drives partnerships with clients to audit employment/HR compliance and the strength of DE&I practices through virtually every aspect of the employment relationship. John then helps design, strengthen, and implement workplace compliance and DE&I programs and policy to practice job-aides and resources.

He delivers highly-tailored, dynamic training sessions to virtually every type of employer audience. From the executive and leadership level to rank and file employees, John’s DE&I and workplace compliance trainings consistently receive outstanding reviews.

John also plays an invaluable leadership role in furthering the visibility, voice, and advancement of LGBTQ+ lawyers within GT and the LGBTQ+ business community, including serving on the Out Leadership Council and for six years on the National Board of Directors for Lambda Legal. As a recognized thought leader, John is often entrusted to handle highly sensitive internal complaints and investigations involving LGBTQ+ issues. Companies and/or LGBTQ+ national and global organizations regularly enlist John as a panelist to make the legal and economic case for LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion at every level of the business community.

Photo of Michael J. Slocum Michael J. Slocum

Michael J. Slocum focuses his practice on labor and employment law, including the defense of discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge and whistleblower claims. Michael has represented employers in a broad array of industries, including health care and life sciences, pharmaceutical, private security, and retail,

Michael J. Slocum focuses his practice on labor and employment law, including the defense of discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge and whistleblower claims. Michael has represented employers in a broad array of industries, including health care and life sciences, pharmaceutical, private security, and retail, and has experience defending against both individual employee claims and class actions.

Michael has written and spoken numerous times on a multitude of issues facing employers in diverse industries. In addition to many client alerts and online articles, Michael was a contributing author to “Avoiding Liability for Unconscious Bias and Subtle Discrimination” published in the New Jersey Law Journal in December 2008, as well as a chapter on the False Claims Act in the 2010 edition of “Health Law and Compliance Update.” Michael was a speaker at a September 2008 seminar “The New Jersey FCA: Perspectives and Insight,” as well as the firm’s May 2013 “Taking Care of Business: An Annual Update on Labor and Employment Law” seminar. More recently, Law 360 published Michael’s article “NYC Earned Sick Time Act May Hit Small Business Hardest” in May 2014, and his article “NJ Supreme Court Reaffirms ‘Faithless Servant’ Doctrine” in November 2015. Michael also authored “EEOC Proposes Collecting Pay Data to Combat ‘Pay Discrimination,’” published by the New Jersey Law Journal in March 2016, and well as “Revisiting the Great Joint Employment Debate,” published by the New Jersey Law Journal in April 2018.

Prior to joining the firm, Michael practiced in the litigation department of a national firm focused on labor and employment matters in the life sciences industry, where he served as Editor of that firm’s “False Claims Act Quarterly.” He has experience representing clients at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts, as well as before a variety of state and federal administrative agencies.

Photo of Robert Bernstein Robert Bernstein

Rob Bernstein focuses his practice on labor and employment exclusively for management, with an emphasis in litigation and counseling. With over 30 years of experience, Rob has represented many multinational and domestic corporations in a wide range of industries. His practice extends to

Rob Bernstein focuses his practice on labor and employment exclusively for management, with an emphasis in litigation and counseling. With over 30 years of experience, Rob has represented many multinational and domestic corporations in a wide range of industries. His practice extends to numerous jurisdictions across the United States, involving most workplace issues, including class and collective actions, employee benefits and trade secret litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Rob chaired the National Labor and Employment Department Steering Committee of a management-side only, national labor and employment law firm, where he also served as one of five members of the Firm’s Executive Committee and was a member of its Board of Directors. Rob also was partner at a top-15 international law firm, where he headed its global employment practice.