By Kevin Young, Noah Finkel, and Brett C. Bartlett

Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 10, 2021, the White House and U.S. Department of Labor confirmed their plan to propose new rules to increase the salary threshold for exempt employees under the FLSA and “modernize” the prevailing wage rules that apply to many federal government contractors and subcontractors. The rulemaking
Continue Reading On Deck for ’22: Exempt Salary Level Increases and Prevailing Wage Changes

Authored by Alex Passantino

The White House announced its intent to nominate Cheryl Stanton to serve as the Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division. Stanton currently serves as the Executive Director for the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. Prior to that, she worked in private practice as a management-side labor and employment attorney.
Continue Reading White House to Nominate S.C. Labor Official to Serve as WHD Administrator

Authored by Alex Passantino

Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 26, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor will publish its anticipated Request for Information on the White-Collar Overtime Exemption in the Federal Register. The RFI will give the regulated community 60 days to provide its comments in response.

The RFI seeks input on a wide variety of topics, many of which involve
Continue Reading DOL Seeks Comment on Overtime Rule

Authored by Alex Passantino

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Wage & Hour Division announced its regulatory plan for the next year and it is less ambitious than some may have anticipated.  A request for information on the overtime rule and a proposal to rescind a limited tip credit regulation are all that is on the immediate horizon for employers.

Each spring and
Continue Reading What’s on the Agenda? Tips and OT

Co-authored by Brett Bartlett, Alex Passantino, and Kevin Young

At last, the federal government has filed its reply brief in the Fifth Circuit concerning its appeal from a Texas district court’s order preliminarily enjoining the 2016 revisions to the FLSA’s executive, administrative, and professional exemptions. Because of the substantive and procedural complexities facing the Department of Labor
Continue Reading Finally Briefed: DOL Files 5th Circuit Reply Defending its Authority to Set Salary Level for EAP Exemptions

Authored by Alex Passantino

Today, the DOL’s Wage & Hour Division (WHD) sent its anticipated Request for Information (RFI) on the overtime rule to the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Review of the RFI by OIRA is one of the final steps before publication in the Federal Register.

The RFI is expected to
Continue Reading DOL Sends OT Request for Information to White House for Review

iStock-513046321Authored by John P. Phillips

Seyfarth Synopsis: Recently the Ninth Circuit doubled down on its decision that service advisers at car dealerships are not exempt from the FLSA, despite being overturned once by the U.S. Supreme Court. This case gives the Supreme Court an excellent opportunity to address the proper construction of FLSA exemptions and allow the plain and common
Continue Reading The Ninth Circuit Goes All In. Will the Supreme Court Call?

Co-authored by Brett Bartlett and Kevin Young

Seyfarth Synopsis:  Last Thursday, the Senate confirmed Alexander Acosta as the 27th United States Secretary of Labor. Filling the final post in President Trump’s cabinet, Acosta will lead a Department of Labor that has, since inauguration, operated without political leadership in the Secretary role. With Secretary Acosta in place, the DOL now
Continue Reading Acosta Takes the Helm

Authored by Sheryl Skibbe

On Wednesday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the Justice Department’s additional unopposed request for a 60-day extension to figure out its position on the new FLSA overtime exemption rules.

The stated reason for the government’s unopposed request was to “allow incoming leadership personnel adequate time to consider the issues.” Nevada v. DOL, No.
Continue Reading Time and Time Again

coins-currency-investment-insurance-128867Co-authored by Robert S. Whitman and Howard M. Wexler

With employers about to ring in 2017, the New York State Department of Labor—with only two days to spare—has finalized regulations to increase the salary threshold for exempt status. The regulations, originally introduced on October 19, 2016, take effect on December 31, 2016.

Employers were hopeful that the State
Continue Reading NY DOL Approves Regulations to Increase Salary Threshold for Exempt Employees