Courts addressing FLSA misclassification claims brought by employees classified as salaried exempt workers must determine damages. In a new decision from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Judge Jane Triche Milazzo ruled that successful Plaintiffs in one such misclassification case are only entitled to “half-time” damages. Further, the Court
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New York Federal Court Upholds Payment of Overtime Pursuant to Fluctuating Workweek Method Notwithstanding Bonus Pay
Uncertainty and litigation have ensued in the wake of the Department of Labor’s May 5, 2011 Final Rule regarding application of the fluctuating workweek method of overtime compensation (FWW) authorized by 29 CFR § 778.114, specifically the Rule’s commentary on the payment of incentive compensation to employees compensated via FWW. In a thorough recent decision,…
Federal Court Orders Trial Regarding Lady Gaga Assistant’s Wage Claims
In the still unresolved FLSA litigation concerning alleged unpaid overtime brought by a former personal assistant to entertainer Stefani Germanotta a/k/a Lady Gaga, Judge Paul Gardephe of the Southern District of New York has issued a lengthy ruling addressing some of the asserted claims and defenses. The Court concluded that plaintiff’s New York state law claims …
Florida District Court Utilizes Half-Time Calculation In Determining FLSA Damages Owed To Misclassified Independent Contractor
As previously discussed in this blog, many (if not most) courts agree that an employee who receives a fixed salary for varying hours of work has a “clear mutual understanding” with his/her employer that such salary covers all hours of work, and that in the event overtime is deemed owed because the employee was not…
Supreme Court Declines Request to Consider Whether Half Time Calculation Is Appropriate Method To Calculate Overtime Due To Misclassified Employees
As previously discussed here and here, several Circuit courts have recently upheld use of the “half time” calculation of damages in FLSA misclassification cases. Urnikis-Negro v. Am. Family Prop. Servs., — F.3d. —, No. 08-3117, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 16126 (7th Cir. 2010); Desmond v. PNGI Charles Town Gaming, L.L.C., 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS…
Fourth Circuit Joins Four Prior Circuits in Ratifying Half Time Calculation of Overtime Damages Due Misclassified Exempt Employee
It is well understood that employees misclassified as exempt under the FLSA are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked in excess of forty in a week. However, while the United States Department of Labor takes the position that any unpaid overtime is calculated using the “half-time” method, not all of the Circuit Courts have confirmed…
Seventh Circuit Upholds Pro-Employer Method of Overtime Calculation for Misclassified Employees
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to pay non-exempt employees one and one half times their regular rate of pay for any hours worked in a workweek in excess of 40. United States Department of Labor regulations, as set forth in 29 C.F.R. § 778.114(a), allow an employer to utilize the fluctuating workweek (“FWW”) method…
The Price of Non-Compliance with the Fluctuating Workweek Method of Overtime Calculation
Under the FLSA (and most state laws), the fluctuating workweek method (FWW) of overtime payment allows employers to reduce overtime expense by paying “half time” for all overtime hours if the following four factors are satisfied: 1) employees’ hours fluctuate from week; (2) employees receive a fixed salary each week that does not vary with…