Common Violations Affecting Specific Employees
Certain jobs or job categories frequently are paid in ways that violate the FLSA. We have listed some of the more common violations for the types of workers identified on this page. Not all violations are listed. We encourage you to contact a lawyer if you have questions about your rights under the FLSA.
Blue Collar Workers
Blue-Collar Workers and the Part 541 Exemptions Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hour worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees. Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempts certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week.
Blue-Collar Workers
The exemptions provided by FLSA Section 13(a)(1) do not apply to manual laborers or other “blue-collar” workers who perform work involving repetitive operations with their hands, physical skill and energy. Such nonexempt “blue-collar” employees gain the skills and knowledge required for performance of their routine manual and physical work through apprenticeships and on-the-job training.
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 minimum wage and overtime premium pay under the FLSA, and are not exempt under Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA nor the regulations at 29 CFR Part 541, no matter how highly paid they might be.