Search results for: Department of Labor Federal Overtime Rules

For many farms in Illinois, seasonal workers are essential to keeping operations running smoothly during planting, harvesting, and peak production seasons. But hiring help isn’t as simple as shaking hands and getting to work. In this article, Hiring Seasonal Farm Workers in Illinois: What You Need to Know About Ag Labor Laws, we explain the key state and federal rules that apply to agricultural labor so you can avoid costly fines, disputes, and compliance headaches.

Why Seasonal Labor Requires Special Attention

Agricultural work is governed by a unique set of labor laws. While some exemptions apply to farm…

Continue Reading Hiring Seasonal Farm Workers in Illinois: What You Need to Know About Ag Labor Laws

The Trump Administration has signaled it intends to reconsider the previously enjoined 2024 rule that would have increased the minimum salary threshold required for an employee to be exempt from overtime under the Executive, Administrative, and Professional exemption (“Professional Exemption”) and the Highly Compensated Employee exemption (“HCE Exemption”). This rule, issued in the final year of the Biden Administration, would have significantly expanded overtime eligibility for many American workers by raising the salary levels that determine exemption status. Its implementation was closely watched by employers and employees, as it had far-reaching implications for employee pay, staffing, and compliance practices. The…

Continue Reading Department of Labor Signals Rescission of FLSA Exemption Salary Thresholds

On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor issued final regulations updating the minimum salary threshold for employees to be considered exempt from overtime requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The regulations are scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on April 26, 2024. The new rules increase the minimum salary from the current level of $684 per week (about $35,568 per year) to $844 per week (about $43,888 per year) effective July 1, 2024, and $1,128 per week (about $58,656 per year) effective January 1, 2025. According to the final rule, $844 per week is the…
Continue Reading U.S. DOL Updates Salary Thresholds for Overtime Exemptions

Contractor v. Employee: Dept. of Labor Proposed Employee Classification Rule

December 19, 2022; By Charles A. Krugel

Contractor v. employee violations occur in every industry. This is in part due to the regulatory processes in wage rates, labor agreements, and exemptions defining who is and who isn’t an independent contractor.

To paraphrase a genial and genuinely funny former US President, I’m from the government, and I’m here to help!

This article analyzes a new government attempt to help society and the economy by improving guidance on employment relationships and minimizing the impact of wage and hour evaders. A typical case

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Continue Reading Contractor v. Employee: Dept. of Labor Proposed Employee Classification Rule

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Earlier this week, a federal court in New York kicked to the curb four key provisions of the U.S. Department of Labor’s regulation implementing the paid leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, requiring employers covered by the Act to quickly decide how it will address these scenarios in the future.

As you will recall, the DOL issued final FFCRA regulations on leave on April 1, 2020 as a sweet little April fool’s present for us. Days later, the State of New York sued the DOL, claiming that the agency  unlawfully denied leave to otherwise eligible employees and…

Continue Reading Federal Court Nixes Several FFCRA Regulations, Creating Compliance Headaches for Employers

The federal Department of Labor (DOL) released its long-awaited final rule to revise and update its regulations interpreting joint employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which governs responsibility for payment of minimum wages and overtime.

This rule rolls back the Obama administration’s much broader definition of joint employer and replaces it with a four-factor test that looks to who maintains the power to hire and fire, to supervise schedules and conditions of employment, to set pay, and to keep employment records.

The DOL rule goes into effect March 16, 2020. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and…

Continue Reading Department of Labor Narrows Joint Employer Definition

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The threshold for white-collar employees to be classifiable as “exempt” will rise about 50% to $684 per week (about $35,568 per year) on January 1, 2020. Employers will need to make adjustments to ensure they’re compliant with this updated rule, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, announced on September 24 by the U.S. Department of Labor.  By “exempt” I am referring to employees who do not qualify for overtime pay.

The rule change—which boosts the threshold from $455 per week and $23,600 per year, as previously set in 2004—will affect about 1.3 million workers, the DOL says, who could be…

Continue Reading Employers Should Review Payroll as the Overtime “Exempt” Salary Threshold Rises

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Agency’s Action Adds To Heavy Slate Of New Employment Laws In 2020

This morning, September 24, 2019, the US Department of Labor (DOL) published its final overtime rule. You can find it in full on the DOL’s website. The final rule is effective January 1, 2020, giving employers about 100 days to review and adjust the pay of their exempt workforce to comply with the law.

4 Key Takeaways Of The New Rules

  • The new rule increases the salary level for the white-collar exemptions (executive, administrative, and professional). New salary level for white collar exemptions will be $684 per

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Continue Reading Breaking: New Federal Overtime Rules Take Effect January 1

The Department of Labor issued new rules concerning whether employees gets overtime pay. Many employees and employers think that if someone is paid a salary, they do not have the right to overtime. That is often wrong. Even if employees gets a salary, they are often still entitled to overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours in a work-week. Here are some significant points from the new overtime rules that will help employers and employers figure out if they should be paid overtime:

1. Employees paid less than $47,476 per year (or $913 per week) generally are entitled…

Continue Reading Am I entitled to overtime?

Why Every Small Business Needs an Employee Handbook

September 5, 202
Written By: Small Business Exchange
Why Every Small Business Needs an Employee Handbook
Photo credit: Dusan Petkovic – stock.adobe.com

If you think your business is too small for an employee handbook, you’re not alone. Many owners believe that with just a handful of employees, formal policies aren’t needed. But the truth is, a well-crafted handbook is just as important for a team of two as it is for 200.

An employee handbook does more than outline rules — it sets expectations, clarifies procedures, and protects both you and your employees from misunderstandings or legal headaches. No matter

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Continue Reading Small Business Xchange Quotes Me in Their Article on Handbooks

Published on The National Law Review https://natlawreview.com

Show Them the Money: How To Avoid Wage & Hour Legal Pitfalls

July 27, 2025
Article By:
Michele Schechter

Why Wage & Hour Compliance Deserves Your Attention

Wage and hour compliance isn’t just about cutting checks on time. Missteps in proper compliance can cost employers thousands in backpay, double damages, and attorneys’ fees.

As employment law attorney Charles Krugel notes, a metaphorical ‘perfect storm’ characterizes the current wage and hour environment: increased regulatory scrutiny, shifting wage movements like ‘Fight for $15,’ and a persistent misunderstanding of how these laws work.

This article

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Continue Reading I’m Cited in National Law Review Article Re Wage/Hour Compliance

New year, new laws! In our 2025 annual legislative digest for Illinois’ small business community, we highlight seven new developments. Please note: This post covers only some of the new legislation taking effect this year and, while these laws certainly affect small businesses, there may be others as well. These laws make the following changes:

  • The FTC’s battle to non-compete ban develops.
  • Illinois updates how it regulates the collection of biometric information, like fingerprint and face scans.
  • The state expands civil rights protections for reproductive decisions and family responsibilities.
  • The state expanded protection for minors in the workforce.
  • Employers must

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Continue Reading New Laws in 2025

On Friday, a federal district court granted a preliminary injunction sought by the State of Texas to block implementation of the U.S. Department of Labor’s new rule increasing minimum salaries for overtime exempt employee. However, the court limited the effect of its injunction to the State of Texas as an employer.

The court concluded that the DOL exceeded its authority by making salary level, rather than job duties, the deciding factor in determining whether many employees fall within the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Although Texas asked for a nationwide injunction, the court declined…

Continue Reading Court Blocks New DOL Rule – But Only for Texas

In 2018, Congress added a provision to the Fair Labor Standards Act prohibiting employers from retaining employee tips or allowing managers or supervisors to participate in a tip pooling arrangement. Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a new final regulation in which the DOL asserts authority to penalize employers up to $1,100 per violation of this provision, on top of any back wages owed. Prior rules published by the Trump administration also provided for civil penalties, but only in cases of “repeated and willful” violations. The new rule allows the DOL to pursue penalties even for a first offense…

Continue Reading New DOL Rule Adds Civil Penalties for Taking Employee Tips

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Laws are established for various reasons, mainly to keep citizens safe and provide for a fair society. The state of Illinois has several new laws taking effect in 2021, one of which affects employers and their employees. The minimum wage will increase to $11 per hour for standard workers; $6.60 per hour for tipped workers, and $8.50 per hour for workers under the age of 18 who work less than 650 hours in a calendar year. This new legislation is part of a staggered plan that will eventually raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. However, many…

Continue Reading New 2021 Law Raises Minimum Wage for Illinois Workers