Receiving the proper treatment in the workforce has changed for many individuals, especially those considered white-collar workers. The term white-collar is often used in contrast to blue-collar, respectively separating service industry and management-based jobs, which may now include computer-related work as well as manual or factory labor. Although these jobs are often considered more comfortable from the worker’s standpoint, there are still often pay disputes and abuses that white-collar workers may face. Previously, the Fair Labor Standards Act did not apply to these often service-based jobs, but changes have been made to include them.
Perhaps one of the most glaringly obvious problems that has been address through fairly recent legislation is a redefinition of the white-collar exemption status from worker rights such as overtime pay. Overtime is a basic part of the wage and scheduling system in the blue-collar work world, but can often be overlooked for white-collar laborers. However, under recent modifications to the FLSA rules, exemption status has become more elusive.
One source for exemption, primarily for executive-level positions, was the sheer amount of compensation an employee received. Under these standards, if an employee received a certain amount of money per week or over a year, that employee could be made exempt from any additional overtime pay as an executive. This amount was raised, reaching $100,000 or $455 weekly, in order to make exemption less likely.
Another important consideration for exemption status among white-collar workers is the amount of training or independence a certain position requires. In both aspects, a worker may be exempt as a professional if they reach a particular level of training that permits them to excel in their field. Likewise, any position that allows for independent decision-making, namely managerial or editorial functions, may be made into an exempt position.
For more information regarding white-collar exemptions, contact an employment lawyer.