Back to “normal”? Watch out for these wage-hour pitfalls.

Employers are reopening and bringing employees back to work after the coronavirus-related shutdowns. That’s good, but there are a number of wage and hour pitfalls waiting for unaware employers:

Overtime exemption issues

• Can an employer pay an exempt employee “hazardous duty” pay without affecting the salary basis test?
• Can an employer reduce the pay or work hours of an exempt employee in response to a financial hardship?
• Can an employer assign non-exempt tasks to an exempt employee without losing the exemption?

Compensable, or not?

• Taking employees’ temperatures
• Donning and doffing a mask or other protective equipment
• Wiping down equipment and vehicles
• Safety activities at home before the start of the work day
• Attending COVID-19 safety training
• Traveling to a COVID-19 testing site
• Grievance meetings regarding work conditions

Other issues

• Volunteering during COVID-19 crisis
• Recording work time
• Deductions from wages

This webinar will be presented by Jim Coleman and Ellen Kearns, co-chairs of Constangy’s Wage and Hour Practice Group.