Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 11, 2024, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held in Mayfield v. U.S. Department of Labor that the Secretary’s salary tests for evaluating overtime exemptions are valid and do not exceed the Department of Labor’s authority under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”).

Robert Mayfield, a Texas-based fast-food purveyor, challenged

Continue Reading Fifth Circuit Ruling: 2019 Salary Threshold Increase Did Not Exceed Authority

Seyfarth Synopsis: The DOL’s revised overtime exemption rule takes effect today, July 1, 2024. While several lawsuits are challenging the rule, a last-minute injunction was ultimately granted for only one employer: the State of Texas. The rule is in effect for all other businesses, including businesses in Texas.


In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor published its

Continue Reading Injunction Party of One: New OT Rule Takes Effect for All Employers…Except the State of Texas

By: Kevin M. Young

Seyfarth Synopsis: With the DOL’s new overtime exemption rule weeks from taking effect, employers must consider the impacts of reclassifying exempt employees. Some potential impacts are obvious, others not so much. Proactive, thoughtful planning is key for employers to navigate these waters for their business and impacted employees alike.

With the U.S. DOL’s final overtime exemption

Continue Reading Ripples in the OT Waters: Considering the Downstream Effects of Reclassifying Exempt Employees

Seyfarth synopsis: Today, the U.S. DOL unveiled its final overtime rule. The rule significantly increases the minimum salary for so-called “white collar” employees to be exempt from the federal FLSA’s overtime pay requirements. This development requires attention from virtually all employers.

The DOL’s final overtime rule, Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees

Continue Reading U.S. DOL Releases Final Overtime Rule—Effective July 2024

By A. Scott Hecker

Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 6, 2023, the Biden Administration announced the release of its Fall 2023 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division continues to pursue – with frequent delays – a number of significant rulemakings, including the Division’s proposed increase to the minimum salary level for

Continue Reading The Biden Administration Issued Its Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda – What Can We Expect From the DOL Wage and Hour Division’s Rulemakings?

By: Kevin Young, Brett Bartlett, Scott Hecker, Noah Finkel, and Leon Rodriguez

Just days before Labor Day, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) unveiled its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”), aimed at revising the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees. While the proposal—the cornerstone of which is a minimum salary

Continue Reading DOL Delivers a Proposed Salary Bump to FLSA Overtime Thresholds for Labor Day

Tips from Seyfarth is a blog series for employers, and their in-house lawyers and HR, payroll, and compensation professionals, in the food, beverage, and hospitality sector. We curate wage and hour compliance “tips” to keep this busy industry informed.


By: Ariel Cudkowicz and Michael Steinberg

Seyfarth Synopsis: After a remand from the Fifth Circuit, a trial court has upheld the

Continue Reading Tips from Seyfarth: Challenge to DOL’s 80/20 Rule Likely to Head Back to the Fifth Circuit

By: Andrew McKinley, Kyle Winnick & Alex Simon

Seyfarth Synopsis: This latest installment in our series on the Department of Labor’s proposed independent contractor rule under the Fair Labor Standards Act focuses on proposed changes to the profit-or-loss analysis as it relates to workers’ investments in their businesses.

A hallmark of independent contractor status is the ability to exercise

Continue Reading DOL’s Proposed FLSA Independent Contractor Rule: Investment as Indicative of Profit and Loss

By A. Scott HeckerAdam R. YoungPatrick D. JoyceJames L. Curtis, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 14, 2023, we attended a webinar presented by U.S. DOL Solicitor Seema Nanda, DOL Wage and Hour Division Principal Deputy Jessica Looman, DOL Occupational Safety and Health Administration Assistant Secretary Doug Parker, National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo

Continue Reading Looking to Prevent and Address Workplace Retaliation, Government Leaders from DOL, NLRB, and EEOC Present Employers with “Best Practices”

By: Christina Jaremus

Seyfarth Synopsis:  Illinois joined the exclusive club of now three states that require employers to offer paid leave for any reason when Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Paid Leave for Workers Act last week.  The Act takes effect on January 1, 2024.  Illinois employees will be entitled to earn and use at least 40 hours of paid

Continue Reading Paid Leave For Any Reason Now A Reality In Illinois