{"id":2206,"date":"2016-02-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-25T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/?page_id=2206"},"modified":"2026-06-28T08:38:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T15:38:50","slug":"flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-staff\/flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption\/","title":{"rendered":"FLSA overtime eligibility and exemption"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-staff\/flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption\/#FLSA-requirements\" >FLSA requirements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-staff\/flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption\/#About-the-FLSA\" >About the FLSA<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-staff\/flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption\/#FLSA-overtime-exemption-standards\" >FLSA overtime exemption standards<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-staff\/flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption\/#FLSA-exemption-categories-and-checklists\" >FLSA exemption categories and checklists<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-staff\/flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption\/#Duties-that-do-not-qualify-for-FLSA-overtime-exemption\" >Duties that do not qualify for FLSA overtime exemption<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FLSA-requirements\"><\/span>FLSA requirements<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that most workers receive a minimum overtime pay of 1.5 times the employee\u2019s regular pay rate for all hours worked over 40 hours in a seven-day workweek. The UW calls positions that are covered by FLSA overtime regulations \u201covertime eligible.\u201d All hourly paid temporary and student workers are, by definition, overtime eligible. Only positions that meet certain narrowly defined criteria are exempt from the FLSA\u2019s overtime requirements. Compensation is responsible for determining the overtime status for all staff positions.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About-the-FLSA\"><\/span>About the FLSA<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The FLSA establishes minimum standards that may be exceeded, but cannot be waived or reduced. Employers must comply with any federal, state or municipal laws, regulations or ordinances, or collective bargaining agreements or employer implemented policies that provide greater benefits than those established by the FLSA.<br \/>\nWhen state laws differ from the federal FLSA, an employer must comply with the standard most generous to employees.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FLSA-overtime-exemption-standards\"><\/span>FLSA overtime exemption standards<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>To be exempt from FLSA overtime regulations a position\u2019s salary amount\u00a0and\u00a0job duties must meet criteria specified in the regulations. These criteria are referred to as the \u201csalary basis\u201d and \u201cduties\u201d tests, respectively. Some types of \u201cblue collar\u201d and \u201cPolice, Fire Fighters, Paramedic &amp; Other First Responder\u201d work do not qualify for exemption by definition.<\/p>\n<p>Compensation is responsible for applying the \u201ctests\u201d to determine the positions that are covered by the FLSA overtime regulations. This determination is normally made at the time a position is created and may be reviewed when a position is reviewed for reclassification (classified titles) or for salary or title assignment (professional staff positions).<\/p>\n<p>All of the following requirements must be met for a position to be exempt from the FLSA overtime payment requirement:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The position must be paid on a salary (not hourly) basis, except for certain computer workers (see the\u00a0Computer Professional Exemption). Being paid on a salary basis means that an employee is paid the same amount per workweek regardless of the hours the employee actually works, consistent with a position\u2019s percent time.<\/li>\n<li id=\"salarybasisminimum\">The position must be paid at least\u00a0<strong>$455<\/strong>\u00a0per week\u00a0($23,660 per year), regardless of percent time worked: e.g. a half-time employee who is paid $454 per week and a full-time employee who is paid $454 per week are both overtime covered, regardless of their job duties, even though the full-time equivalent pay for the half time employee is actually $908 per week.\u00a0<strong>This minimum salary requirement applies both full-time and part-time employees regardless of how many hours they work.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The position\u2019s job duties must meet the\u00a0duties test\u00a0for one or more for one of the exemption categories\u2014see below.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FLSA-exemption-categories-and-checklists\"><\/span>FLSA exemption categories and checklists<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The following are summaries of the FLSA-defined exemption criteria. Checklists for the most commonly applied exemption criteria may be used to help employees and managers assess whether a position is likely to be covered by or exempt from the FLSA overtime regulations. A link to the checklist follows the exemption category description. Some terms have special meanings as applied by the FLSA regulations. See the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-non-academic-staff\/flsa-related-terms-and-definitions\/\">FLSA Terms &amp; Definitions webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The exemption categories in the following list are described below.<\/p>\n<div id=\"exemptionAccordion\" class=\"uwhr-accordion\">\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<div id=\"headingOne\" class=\"panel-heading\">\n<h5 class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"collapsed panel-link\" href=\"#collapseOne\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#exemptionAccordion\">Executive exemption<i class=\"fa panel-title-icon\"><\/i><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"collapseOne\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\">\n<p>To qualify for the executive exemption, all of the following tests must be met:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employee must be compensated on a salary basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per week;<\/li>\n<li>The employee\u2019s primary duty must be managing the enterprise, or managing a customarily recognized department or subdivision of the enterprise;<\/li>\n<li>The employee must customarily and regularly direct the work of at least two or more other full-time employees or their equivalent; and<\/li>\n<li>The employee must have the authority to hire or fire other employees, or the employee\u2019s suggestions and recommendations as to the hiring, firing, advancement, promotion or any other change of status of other employees must be given particular weight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/02\/exec_exmpt_OT.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Executive Exemption Checklist <small>(PDF)<\/small><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<div id=\"headingTwo\" class=\"panel-heading\">\n<h5 class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"collapsed panel-link\" href=\"#collapseTwo\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#exemptionAccordion\">Administrative exemption<i class=\"fa panel-title-icon\"><\/i><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"collapseTwo\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\">\n<p>To qualify for the administrative exemption, all of the following tests must be met:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employee must be compensated on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per;<\/li>\n<li>The employee\u2019s primary function must be to perform office or non-manual work that is directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer\u2019s customers; and<\/li>\n<li>The employee\u2019s primary duty includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/02\/admin_exmpt_OT.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Administrative Exemption Checklist <small>(PDF)<\/small><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<div id=\"headingThree\" class=\"panel-heading\">\n<h5 class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"collapsed panel-link\" href=\"#collapseThree\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#exemptionAccordion\">Learned or creative professional exemption<i class=\"fa panel-title-icon\"><\/i><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"collapseThree\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\">\n<p>To qualify for the learned professional exemption, all of the following tests must be met:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employee must be compensated on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per;<\/li>\n<li>The employee\u2019s primary duty must be to perform work requiring advanced knowledge, defined as work which is predominantly intellectual in character and which requires the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment;<\/li>\n<li>The advanced knowledge must be in a field of science or learning, such as law, medicine, nursing, accounting, actuarial computation, engineering, education, and various types of physical, chemical, and biological sciences; and<\/li>\n<li>The advanced knowledge must be customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To qualify for the creative professional exemption, all of the following tests must be met:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employee must be compensated on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per;<\/li>\n<li>The employee\u2019s primary duty must be to perform work requiring invention, imagination, originality or talent in a recognized field of artistic or creative endeavor, such as music, writing, acting, and the graphic arts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/02\/learn_creativ_pro_exmpt_OT.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Learned or Creative Professional Exemption Checklist <small>(PDF)<\/small><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<div id=\"headingFour\" class=\"panel-heading\">\n<h5 class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"collapsed panel-link\" href=\"#collapseFour\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#exemptionAccordion\">Computer professional exemption<i class=\"fa panel-title-icon\"><\/i><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"collapseFour\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\">\n<p>To qualify for the computer professional exemption, the following tests must be met:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employee must be compensated either on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per or, if compensated on an hourly basis, at a rate not less than $27.63 an hour;<\/li>\n<li>The employee must be employed as a computer systems analyst, computer programmer, software engineer, or other similarly skilled worker in the computer field; and,<\/li>\n<li>The employee\u2019s primary duty must consist of:\n<ul>\n<li>The application of systems analysis techniques and procedures, including consulting with users, to determine hardware, software or system functional specifications;<\/li>\n<li>The design, development, documentation, analysis, creation, testing or modification of computer systems or programs, including prototypes, based on and related to user or system design specifications;<\/li>\n<li>The design, documentation, testing, creation, or modification of computer programs related to machine operating systems; or<\/li>\n<li>A combination of the aforementioned duties, the performance of which requires the same level of skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/02\/computer_prof_exmpt_OT.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Computer Professional Exemption Checklist <small>(PDF)<\/small><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<div id=\"headingFive\" class=\"panel-heading\">\n<h5 class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"collapsed panel-link\" href=\"#collapseFive\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#exemptionAccordion\">Highly compensated employees<i class=\"fa panel-title-icon\"><\/i><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"collapseFive\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\">Employees performing office or non-manual work and who are paid total annual compensation of $100,000 or more(which must include at least $455 per week paid on a salary or fee basis) are exempt from FLSA overtime regulations if they customarily and regularly perform at least one of the duties of an exempt executive, administrative, or learned or creative professional employee identified in the standard tests for exemption.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<div id=\"headingSix\" class=\"panel-heading\">\n<h5 class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"collapsed panel-link\" href=\"#collapseSix\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#exemptionAccordion\">Outside sales exemption<i class=\"fa panel-title-icon\"><\/i><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"collapseSix\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\">\n<p>To qualify for the outside sales employee exemption, all of the following tests must be met:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The employee\u2019s primary duty must be making sales (as defined in the FLSA), or obtaining orders or contracts for services or for the use of facilities for which a consideration will be paid by the client or customer; and<\/li>\n<li>The employee must be customarily and regularly engaged away from the employer\u2019s place or places of business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/02\/outsales_exmpt_OT.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Outside Sales Exemption Checklist <small>(PDF)<\/small><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Duties-that-do-not-qualify-for-FLSA-overtime-exemption\"><\/span>Duties that do not qualify for FLSA overtime exemption<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Blue Collar Workers<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The exemptions apply only to \u201cwhite collar\u201d employees who meet the salary and duties tests (see below) set forth in the regulations. The exemptions do not apply to manual laborers or other \u201cblue collar\u201d workers who perform work involving repetitive operations with their hands, physical skill and energy. FLSA-covered, non-management employees in production, maintenance, construction and similar occupations such as carpenters, electricians, mechanics, plumbers, iron workers, craftsmen, operating engineers, longshoremen, construction workers, and laborers are entitled to overtime premium pay under the FLSA, and are not exempt under the regulations no matter how highly paid they might be.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Police, Fire Fighters, Paramedics &amp; Other First Responders<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 FLSA overtime exemptions do not apply to police officers, detectives, deputy sheriffs, state troopers, highway patrol officers, investigators, inspectors, correctional officers, parole or probation officers, park rangers, fire fighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, ambulance personnel, rescue workers, hazardous materials workers, and similar employees, regardless of rank or pay level, who perform work such as preventing, controlling or extinguishing fires of any type; rescuing fire, crime or accident victims; preventing or detecting crimes; conducting investigations or inspections for violations of law; performing surveillance; pursuing, restraining and apprehending suspects; detaining or supervising suspected and convicted criminals, including those on probation or parole; interviewing witnesses; interrogating and fingerprinting suspects; preparing investigative reports; or other similar work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Update:<\/strong>  Due to pending legal action, changes to the \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/overtime-for-non-academic-staff\/flsa-overtime-eligibility-and-exemption\/#salarybasisminimum\">salary basis minimum<\/a>\u201d that had been scheduled to take effect December 1, 2016 have been delayed until further notice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"parent":137,"menu_order":30,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","slim_seo":{"title":"FLSA overtime eligibility and exemption - Compensation","description":"Update: Due to pending legal action, changes to the \u201c salary basis minimum \u201d that had been scheduled to take effect December 1, 2016 have been delayed until fur"},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2206","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2206"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11247,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2206\/revisions\/11247"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/comp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}