Comments on: Be Careful What You Wish For

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:25:00 +0000

One more thing to consider:

My job was reclassified. My pay was cut 15% (a substantial cut -- eliminating YEARS of raises). This affects my pension and now REQUIRES that I work overtime just to try to come out even.

And I was NOT part of any lawsuit. I don't know anyone who was reclassified who was. So no, I got no 'settlement'. And I wasn't told by HR WHY my job was considered non-exempt. In all the definitions I can see, I consider my job qualifying as exempt.

If you got a $18,000/year pay cut, wouldn't YOU be angry? I am.

By: Princess Sparkle Pants

Princess Sparkle Pants — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:55:00 +0000

I’ll tell you… bottom line, it seems the Department of Labor will determine if you are being classified appropriately or not. The Big Bank where I worked dealt with some VERY large litigations where the employees were incorrectly classified as exempt, and it was determined that we owed them back-pay. Try figuring out back-pay for overtime that was not captured in any kind of time system. Hence the time clocks… Sigh.

By: another hr rep

another hr rep — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:39:00 +0000

Interesting article on a very misunderstood issue by non-HR employees. I have faced the opposite problem within my companies. Managers and mainly junior employees who demand a position be “exempt” because they equate it to being ‘professional’ vs. clerical/blue-collar work, and thereby view it as more prestigious.

By: HR Wench

HR Wench — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 22:56:00 +0000

Evil – Excellent anlaysis. I’m printing this entry and posting it in the lunch room. Ok not really but boy am I tempted!

Vitrolic Virchow – In my state it doesn’t work like that. The workweek is defined by the employer (let’s say they choose Monday through Sunday) and non-exempts that work OVER 40 hours between those two days get OT. So let’s say you work 10 hours on Monday but 6 hours on Tuesday and then 8 hours each on Weds, Thurs and Fri that equals 40 hours regular pay. In California it is a bit different, non-exempts get OT pay for any hours worked over 8 in a work day and the work week doesn’t matter. I think the only other states that have regs like that are NV and CO but there are other details (like in CO it has to be over 12 hours in one day to hit OT or something like that).

By: Vitriolic Virchow

Vitriolic Virchow — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:34:00 +0000

What frosts me the most is the businesses who want to have it both ways. You’re non-exempt when it comes to accruing overtime, AND you have to punch a time clock and you’ll be docked if you do come in an hour late. I’ve had that situation and I tell you it’s the WORST of both worlds.