Department of Labor FairPay Rules Go Into Effect on August 23, 2004

Tomorrow the U.S. Department of Labor's new FairPay Rules go into effect regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employers should seek to learn more about the regulations and the impact on their employees and business. For more information go to the FairPay Web site created by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor.



According to the website the new regulations strengthen overtime protections for workers. Under the new FairPay rules, workers earning less than $23,660 per year — or $455 per week — are guaranteed overtime protection. This will strengthen overtime rights for 6.7 million American workers, including 1.3 million low-wage workers who were denied overtime under the old rules.



The regulations contain new guidance on the "white collar" overtime exemptions under the regulation. Here is a FairPay Fact Sheet on the exemptions for exective, administrative, professional, computer and outside sales employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.