Authored by Alex Passantino

As we expected when we reported on this yesterday, President Obama today signed a Presidential memorandum directing the Secretary of Labor to “restore the common sense principles” related to overtime.  In his remarks, President Obama focused on his belief that overtime protections have “eroded,” that “if you work more, you should be paid more,” and that
Continue Reading President Directs Secretary of Labor to Begin the Regulatory Process

Authored by Alex Passantino

Today, the New York Times reported that the Obama Administration intends to propose comprehensive changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act’s most significant exemptions — the exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees.  

Although the details are still fuzzy, it appears — as we suggested last week — that the Administration will seek to raise the
Continue Reading Exempt No More? DOL to Propose Sweeping Changes to White Collar Exemptions

Co-authored by Alex Passantino and Lawrence Lorber

Yesterday, the White House released the President’s budget request for FY2015.  The U.S. Department of Labor’s budget request includes more than $11.8 billion in funding increases across all of its programs.  The Wage & Hour Division would get $41 million of that increase. 

This massive (18%) increase to WHD’s budget seeks to
Continue Reading Keeping the Pressure on Employers, Administration Requests $41 Million Budget Increase for Wage & Hour Division

Co-authored by Alex Passantino and Jeremy W. Stewart

In advance of tonight’s State of the Union Address, the White House announced that the President will issue an Executive Order that will increase the minimum mandatory wage paid to employees of federal contractors covered by the Service Contract Act (for federal service contracts) (“SCA”) and the Davis-Bacon Act (for federal construction
Continue Reading Is The Executive Pen Mightier Than the Congressional Act? President Obama To Issue Executive Order Increasing Minimum Wage For Certain Federal Contract Workers To $10.10