I know you’re thinking, what possibly can a turtle hiding in his shell have to do with wage and hour law?! Since the Biden Administration has begun, several Department of Labor (DOL) opinion letters have been withdrawn (get it yet?) by the DOL (and are no longer assessable). In this instance, they may no
DOL Opinion Letter Issued Regarding Administrative Exemption for Account Managers of Life Science Product Manufacturer
On January 8, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued opinion letter FLSA2021-1. Spoiler alert – the DOL determined that account managers at a life science products manufacturer were properly classified as exempt from overtime based on the administrative exemption. These employees have at least a bachelor’s degree in a life science (or
U.S. DOL Issues Opinion Letter Regarding Compensability of Voluntary Continuing Education Classes
On November 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division issued opinion letter FLSA2020-15 regarding compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for time employees spend attending voluntary training programs such as outside, ongoing continuing education classes (CEUs). The employer at issue is a non-profit hospice care provider with clinical
DOL Opinion Letter Clarifies Method for Calculating Overtime Pay for Nondiscretionary Bonus
On January 7, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its first Opinion Letter of the new year – FLSA2020-1. In this instance an employer pays employees a non-discretionary lump sum bonus of $3,000 who complete a 10 week training program and agree to continue training for another 8 weeks. However, the employee will
DOL Weighs In: Employee or Independent Contractor?
In the 6th letter of 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Opinion Letter FLSA2019-6, which analyzes whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. While opinion letters are specific to the employer that has sought the letter, they provide useful insight for all employers. In this opinion letter, the DOL states
When Is Volunteering “Work” that Must Be Paid? DOL Issues Another Opinion Letter Detailing Volunteering Compensation
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued yet another opinion letter sorting out when an employee need not be paid while volunteering. DOL Opinion Letter FLSA2019-2 was one of three letters issued on March 12, 2019. In this case, an employer inquired whether an employee’s time spent in its optional volunteer program was compensable as
DOL Issues Opinion Letter Regarding Conflicts Between State and Federal Law Overtime Laws & 2 v 3 Year Statute of Limitations
On March 14, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Opinion Letter FLSA2019-1. In this situation, an employer asked whether the FLSA applies when its employees (live-in superintendents and residential janitors) are exempt from state law overtime. The DOL confirmed what I’ve posted about several times:
When a federal, state, or local minimum
DOL Issues Opinion Letter Regarding Varying Average Hourly Rates for In-Home Heath Care Service Providers
Admittedly, I’m a little late blogging about this one…not sure how it escaped me. It is slightly old news, but important for home health care providers or other employers who use varying average hourly rates. The Department of Labor (DOL) issued an opinion letter on December 21, 2018 regarding the determination of minimum wage and
US DOL Revives Opinion Letters, Ruling Letters, Administrator Interpretations and Field Assistance Bulletins
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced its decision to once again issue Opinion Letters, Ruling Letters, Administrator Interpretations and Field Assistance Bulletins. They will be published on the DOL website here, along with past opinions (pre-2009). Interpretations by the DOL Administrator that interpret the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Davis-Bacon Act