Employers Should Not Retreat on Compliance Planning Despite Two-Pronged Attack on OT Rule

Employers Should Not Retreat on Compliance Planning Despite Two-Pronged Attack on OT Rule

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Authored by Alex Passantino

Two lawsuits related to the Department of Labor’s revisions to the white-collar exemptions have been filed in East Texas.

The first lawsuit, citing (among other things) the severe impact the impending salary increase will have on state and local government budgets, was filed by the Attorneys General of Nevada, Texas, and 19 other states (the “State AG case”). The State AG case makes a Tenth Amendment-based challenge to Congressional application of the FLSA to states. It also argues that the DOL exceeded Congressional authority with respect to the salary test, the highly-compensated employee exemption level, and indexing. The State AG case also argues that the DOL failed to follow the Administrative Procedure Act and/or that the Department exceeded its Congressional delegation of authority.

The second lawsuit was filed by a broad coalition of Texas and national business groups and trade associations. This case alleges that the DOL exceeded its statutory authority under the FLSA, both by the dramatic increase in the minimum salary level required for exemption and by the provision that would require automatic updating of that level every three years.

Both cases seek a variety of declarations regarding the unlawfulness of the DOL’s actions, as well as temporary and permanent injunctive relief preventing the rule from becoming effective on December 1, 2016.

The filing of these cases, as well as recent efforts in Congress to stop the rule (or at least to revise it), may tempt some employers into taking their foot off the pedal with respect to ensuring compliance with the new salary level by December 1. As many have learned the hard way, however, legislation and litigation are less-than-certain solutions.

Employers should continue their efforts to be compliant by December 1. If we receive legislative or judicial relief at some point, it will be much easier to stop the process than it would be to start it much closer to the effective date. In other words, Congressional or judicial relief should not be your compliance strategy.

We will, of course, continue to keep you updated on the litigation and legislative efforts. In the meantime, keep your eyes on the December 1 deadline.

FLSA

via Wage & Hour Litigation Blog http://ift.tt/1gbrfwY

September 21, 2016 at 03:40AM

J.R. Randall

J.R. Randall is an economist who resides in the Bay Area. He focuses his interest on range of economic topics. He has interest in deep sea fishing and art.