M. Reid Estes, Jr., is a member attorney in the Nashville office of Dickinson Wright. He serves as manager of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Department.
Post Managing Editor William Williams chatted with Estes to get his take of the U.S. Department of Labor’s recent ruling regarding overtime.
kAmkDEC@?8m(92E >:89E 36 E96 C2>:7:42E:@?D[ :? 86?6C2=[ @7 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 {23@C CF=:?8nk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm~? |2J `g[ E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 {23@C 2??@F?465 E96 7:?2= CF=6 FA52E:?8 E96 C6BF:C6>6?ED 7@C 6>A=@J66D E@ BF2=:7J 7@C 6I6>AE:@?D 7C@> E96 @G6CE:>6 C6BF:C6>6?ED F?56C E96 u2:C {23@C $E2?52C5D p4E] &?56C E96 ?6H 7:?2= CF=6[ E96 D2=2CJ =6G6= H:== :?4C62D6 E@ Sh`b A6C H66<[ @C Scf[cfe 2??F2==J] W&?56C E96 6I:DE:?8 CF=6[ 6>A=@J66D >FDE 36 A2:5 2 >:?:>F> D2=2CJ @7 Scdd A6C H66<[ @C Sab[ee_ 2??F2==J]X q68:??:?8 y2?] `[ a_a_[ E96 D2=2CJ =6G6= H:== FA52E6 2FE@>2E:42==J 6G6CJ E9C66 J62CD E@ E96 c_E9 A6C46?E:=6 @7 7F==\E:>6 D2=2C:65 H@C<6CD :? E96 =@H6DE\H286 r6?DFD C68:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 (9:E6 w@FD6 4=2:>D E92E E96 ?6H C68F=2E:@?D H:== 6IE6?5 @G6CE:>6 AC@E64E:@?D E@ c]a >:==:@? 6>A=@J66D H9@ H6C6 7@C>6C=J 4=2DD:7:65 2D 6I6>AE 2D 2 C6DF=E @7 C2:D:?8 E96 >:?:>F> D2=2CJ E9C6D9@=5 7@C 6I6>AE DE2EFD E@ Scf[cfe 2??F2==J[ 255:?8 2? 255:E:@?2= S`_ 3:==:@? 5@==2CD :? H286D E@ E96 >:55=6 4=2DD @G6C E96 ?6IE 564256] %9:D :D 2 C@DJ AC65:4E:@?[ H9:49 2DDF>6D E92E 6>A=@J6CD H@?’E E2<6 DE6AD E@ 2G@:5 A2J:?8 255:E:@?2= @G6CE:>6 A2J[ DF49 2D C64=2DD:7J:?8 >2?286CD E@ ?@?\6I6>AE DE2EFD 2?5 =:>:E:?8 E96:C 9@FCD[ 9:C:?8 255:E:@?2= A2CE\E:>6 H@C<6CD E@ E2<6 FA E96 D=24<[ @C =@H6C:?8 D2=2CJ @C 9@FC=J A2J =6G6=D E@ @77D6E E96 6IA64E65 @G6CE:>6 A2J E96J H:== ?@H 92G6 E@ A2J D@ E92E 24EF2= H286D A2:5 C6>2:? E96 D2>6] k^Am
kAm%96 A@D:E:G6 C6DF=E @7 E9:D :?4C62D65 >:?:>F> D2=2CJ =6G6= :D E92E 6>A=@J6CD 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 9:C6 >@C6 6>A=@J66D :? @C56C E@ 2G@:5 A2J:?8 @G6CE:>6 A2J E@ C64=2DD:7:65 6>A=@J66D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m(92E 2C6 J@F 962C:?8 @? 2 =@42= =6G6=nk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmp ?F>36C @7 6>A=@J6CD :? :?5FDEC:6D :>A24E65 3J E96 492?86 :? >:?:>F> D2=2CJ =6G6=D 2C6 368:??:?8 E@ 4@?D:56C E96:C @AE:@?D[ 2?5 E96J 2C6 D66<:?8 =682= 25G:46 @? 9@H E@ :>A=6>6?E ?6H 4@>A6?D2E:@? AC@8C2>D 7@C C64=2DD:7:65 6>A=@J66D 2?5 H96E96C E@ C64=2DD:7J 6I6>AE 6>A=@J66D H9@D6 D2=2CJ 72==D 36=@H E96 ?6H >:?:>F> D2=2CJ E9C6D9@=5]k^Am
kAm|2?J 6>A=@J6CD 2C6 4@?46C?65 23@FE 7:?5:?8 6?@F89 D<:==65 H@C<6CD D@ E92E E96J 42? =:>:E E96 @G6CE:>6 9@FCD H@C<65 3J C64=2DD:7:65 6>A=@J66D] p DFCAC:D:?8=J =2C86 ?F>36C @7 6>A=@J6CD 92G6 @AE65 7@C E96 “~DEC:49” 2AAC@249 7@C E96 E:>6 36:?8[ A2CE:4F=2C=J D:?46 E96 4@>A=:2?46 5625=:?6 :D s64] `[ a_`e[ 23@FE D:I >@?E9D 2H2J]k^Am
kAmuFCE96C[ D@>6 6>A=@J6CD 2C6 6IAC6DD:?8 4@?46C?D E92E 6>A=@J66D H9@ 2C6 C64=2DD:7:65 :?E@ ?@?\6I6>AE DE2EFD H:== G:6H E92E 2D 2 56>@E:@? D:?46 E96J H:== ?@H 92G6 E@ 244@F?E 7@C 2?5 H@C< D6E 9@FCD — =:>:E:?8 E96:C 7=6I:3:=:EJ 2?5 A6C46:G65 @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C 25G2?46>6?E]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@F=5 E9:D J:6=5 :?4C62D65 =2HDF:E 24E:G:EJnk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm*6D] &?7@CEF?2E6=J[ >2?J 6>A=@J6CD H:== =:<6=J C6DA@?5 E@ E96 ?6H C68F=2E:@?D 3J C64=2DD:7J:?8 6>A=@J66D E@ @G6CE:>6 6=:8:3=6 A@D:E:@?D[ E96? H@C< E96> “@77 E96 4=@4<[” D92G6 E96:C 9@FCD 2?5 E2<6 @E96C :?2AAC@AC:2E6 DE6AD E@ 2G@:5 A2J:?8 E96 :?4C62D65 @G6CE:>6 E96J ?@H 7:?5 E96>D6=G6D @H:?8] k^Am
kAm$@>6 6>A=@J6CD H:== D:>A=J 4@?E:?F6 4=2DD:7J:?8 E96:C >2?286CD 2?5 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 DE277 2D 6I6>AE 7C@> @G6CE:>6 A2J[ 6G6? E9@F89 E96J 5@ ?@E >66E E96 ?6H >:?:>F> D2=2CJ E9C6D9@=5 @7 Scf[cfe 2??F2==J[ 9@A:?8 ?@E E@ 86E 42F89E] k^Am
kAm~? E96 @E96C 92?5[ 6>A=@J6CD H9@ 2F5:E E96:C 6I6>AE 4=2DD:7:42E:@?D :? C6DA@?D6 E@ E96 ?6H C68F=2E:@?D >2J 5:D4@G6C E92E D@>6 @7 E96:C 6I6>AE 6>A=@J66D 5@?’E >66E E96 5FE:6D E6DE 7@C E96 6I64FE:G6[ 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 @C AC@76DD:@?2= 6I6>AE:@?D[ 2?5 E96 ?6H C68F=2E:@?D H:== AC@G:56 “4@G6C” :? E96 7@C> @7 2 =68:E:>2E6 6I4FD6 E@ C64=2DD:7J E96D6 6>A=@J66D E@ ?@?\6I6>AE DE2EFD[ E96C63J C65F4:?8 E96 C:D< @7 7FEFC6 =:E:82E:@?]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m(92E EJA6 @7 24E:G:EJ H:== H6 D66 7C@> 4@>A2?:6D C64=2DD:7J:?8 6>A=@J66Dn p?5 H92E H:== E92E >62? :? E6C>D @7 E96:C 6?=:DE:?8 =2H 7:C>D 7@C 2DD:DE2?46nk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmr@>A2?:6D E92E 2C6 :>A24E65 E96 >@DE 3J E96 ?6H C68F=2E:@?D H:== =:<6=J 4@?DF=E H:E9 4@F?D6= E@ 56E6C>:?6 H9:49 @7 E96 7@==@H:?8 @AE:@?D H@C< 36DE 7@C E96:C @A6C2E:@?Dik^Am
kAmY #64=2DD:7J 4FCC6?E=J 6I6>AE 4=2DD:7:65 6>A=@J66D 2D ?@?\6I6>AE @G6CE:>6 6=:8:3=6 6>A=@J66D[ 2?5 >@?:E@C @C C6DEC:4E E96:C 9@FCDk^Am
kAmY #64=2DD:7J 6I6>AE 6>A=@J66D 2D ?@?\6I6>AE 2?5 A2J E96> 92=7\E:>6 @G6CE:>6 32D65 @? 2 7=F4EF2E:?8 H@C<H66< A=2?jk^Am
kAmY #64=2DD:7J 6I6>AE 6>A=@J66D 2D ?@?\6I6>AE 2?5 25;FDE E96:C D2=2CJ^9@FC=J A2J E@ @77D6E E96 2?E:4:A2E65 @G6CE:>6 9@FCD E96J H:== H@C< D@ E92E E96:C 4@>A6?D2E:@? =6G6= C6>2:?D C@F89=J E96 D2>6jk^Am
kAmY !2J 255:E:@?2= 4@>A6?D2E:@? E@ >2:?E2:? E96 6I6>AE:@?[ 6DA64:2==J :7 E96 4FCC6?E D2=2CJ =6G6=D 2C6 4=@D6 E@ E96 ?6H >:?:>F> D2=2CJ C6BF:C6>6?ED]k^Am
kAmp55:E:@?2==J[ 6>A=@J6CD H:== H2?E E@ 4@?DF=E 4@F?D6= @? E96 36DE DEC2E68J E@ C64=2DD:7J 6>A=@J66D D@ 2D E@ >:?:>:K6 E96 =@DD @7 6>A=@J66D H9@ G:6H E96:C C64=2DD:7:42E:@? 2D 2 56>@E:@? 2?5 =@DD @7 @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C 25G2?46>6?E]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m(92E :?5FDEC:6D H:== 36 :>A24E65 E96 >@DEnk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm$>2== 3FD:?6DD6D 2?5 4@>A2?:6D E92E @A6C2E6 :? =@H6C\4@DE\@7\=:G:?8 2C62D[ 2?5 E96 C6E2:= 2?5 9@DA:E2=:EJ[ C6DE2FC2?E 2?5 ?@?\AC@7:E :?5FDEC:6D 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 36 >@DE :>A24E65 3J E96 492?86D] %96D6 :?5FDEC:6D 2C6 E9@F89E E@ 92G6 2 =2C86 ?F>36C @7 6I6>AE 4=2DD:7:65 6>A=@J66D H9@ 2C6 4FCC6?E=J A2:5 2 D2=2CJ 36=@H E96 ?6H >:?:>F> D2=2CJ E9C6D9@=5—6DA64:2==J :? 6?ECJ\=6G6= >2?286C:2= 2?5 @E96C A@D:E:@?D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m#6=2E65=J[ H92E :?5FDEC:6D >:89E 36 :>A24E65 E96 =62DEnk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmq642FD6 3@?2 7:56 E62496CD[ AC24E:E:@?6CD @7 =2H 2?5 >65:4:?6[ @FED:56 D2=6D>6?[ 2?5 46CE2:? 4@>AFE6C C6=2E65 7:6=5D 2C6 6I6>AE 7C@> >:?:>F> H286 2?5 @G6CE:>6 C6BF:C6>6?ED H:E9@FE C682C5 E@ D2=2CJ =6G6=[ :?5FDEC:6D E92E 2C6 962G:=J C6=:2?E @? E96D6 @44FA2E:@?D H:== 36 =62DE 27764E65] k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m%96 E9C6D9@=5 ?F>36C :?4C62D65 D:8?:7:42?E=J] (6C6 J@F 6IA64E:?8 E92E =6G6= @7 :?4C62D6n p?5 H92E >:89E 36 E96 :>A24Enk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm|@DE 72:C\>:?565 @3D6CG6CD 28C665 E92E E96 4FCC6?E D2=2CJ =6G6= @7 Sab[ee_ H2D 2?E:BF2E65 2?5 ?@E C67=64E:G6 @7 ECF6 >2?286C:2= @C DFA6CG:D@CJ =6G6= 6>A=@J66D[ 2?5 E96 ~32>2 25>:?:DEC2E:@? A@:?E65 @FE E92E E9:D D2=2CJ :D ?62C E96 A@G6CEJ =6G6= 7@C 2 72>:=J @7 7@FC] x? C6DA@?D6 E@ AF3=:4 4@>>6?ED E96J C646:G65[ E96 s~{ D6EE=65 @? Scf[cfe 2D E96 56>2C42E:@? 7@C 6I6>AE DE2EFD[ H9:49 H2D D@>6H92E =6DD E92? E96 Sd_[cc_ =6G6= @C:8:?2==J AC@A@D65[ 2?5 H2D H:E9:? E96 C2?86 @7 >2C<6EA=246 6IA64E2E:@?D] $E:==[ E96 ?6H >:?:>F> D2=2CJ =6G6= :D >@C6 E92? 5@F3=6 E96 @=5[ 2?5 H:== A@D6 D:8?:7:42?E 492==6?86D E@ >2?J 4@>A2?:6D 2?5 :?5FDECJ 8C@FAD]k^Am
kAmr@>A2?:6D 4@?D:56C:?8 9@H E@ C6DA@?5 E@ E96D6 492?86D H:== ?@E @?=J 92G6 E@ 564:56 9@H E@ C6DA@?5 :? E96 D9@CE E6C>[ 3FE >FDE 4@?D:56C H96E96C E96J 42? 23D@C3 7FEFC6 2FE@>2E:4 >:?:>F> D2=2CJ =6G6= :?4C62D6D] pD ?@E65[ E96 >:?:>F> D2=2CJ =6G6= H:== :?4C62D6 6G6CJ E9C66 J62CD[ 368:??:?8 y2?[ `[ a_a_[ :? 2? 2>@F?E 6BF2= E@ E96 c_E9 A6C46?E:=6 @7 E96 H66<=J 62C?:?8D @7 7F== E:>6 D2=2C:65 H@C<6CD :? E96 =@H6DE r6?DFD C68:@? WE96 $@FE9X] p55:E:@?2==J[ E96 D2=2CJ =6G6= 7@C E96 9:89=J 4@>A6?D2E65 6>A=@J66 6I6>AE:@? H2D C2:D65 7C@> S`__[___ E@ S`bc[__c 368:??:?8 s64] `[ a_`e[ 2?5 H:== =:<6H:D6 :?4C62D6 :? 2? 2>@F?E 6BF2= E@ E96 h_E9 A6C46?E:=6 @7 7F==\E:>6 D2=2C:65 H@C<6CD ?2E:@?2==J 6G6CJ E9C66 J62CD 368:??:?8 y2?] `[ a_a_]k^Am
kAm k^Am
