DOL Formally Reinstates 2019 Salary Thresholds for Exempt Employees

mountain lake with sailboats

On May 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a final rule that immediately reinstates the minimum salary thresholds for exempt employees to the levels established in 2019 during the first Trump administration. This action explicitly rescinds the 2024 final rule that sought to raise the minimum salary levels in July 2024 and January […]

Federal Court Vacates 2021 US Department of Labor Final Rule on Tipped Workers

On August 23, 2024, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas vacated the US Department of Labor (DOL) 2021 Final Rule which had set strict guidance on the payment of tipped employees. As a reminder, the 2021 Rule had established three different categories of work that may be performed by tipped employees and specified […]

Employers Must Implement First FLSA Exempt Salary Increases on July 1, 2024

Barring a last-minute, successful legal challenge, the Department of Labor’s final rule mandating higher salary levels for exempt employees will take effect Monday, July 1, 2024. On that date, employees whose job duties meet the test for the FLSA’s “white collar exemptions” must be paid a fixed salary of at least $844 per week, or $43,888 per […]

US Department Of Labor Raises Salary Thresholds For Exempt Employees 

Lake Effect HR Law Exempt Status

Employers wake up today to a daunting new landscape as they face higher salary requirements for their exempt employees. On April 23, 2024, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule that substantially increases the minimum salary levels for exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). If an employee’s job duties and fixed salary level meets […]

US Department of Labor Issues Final Rule on Tipped Workers

On October 28, 2021, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued its Final Rule on tipped workers, establishing when tipped employees can be paid less than the federal minimum wage, an issue that has been in a state of flux over the last several years. The Final Rule will take effect on December 28, 2021. […]