Although the plaintiff cable technicians, who were paid by the completed job and not by the hour, were covered employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), they nonetheless were bona fide commissioned employees and therefore exempt from the overtime requirements of Act, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently
Articles Discussing Commissions Under the FLSA.
Mandatory Gratuities Are Not “Tips” But May Qualify as Commissions Under the FLSA, Fourth Circuit Holds
Agreeing with the district court, the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has concluded that the mandatory service charges imposed by a restaurant on dining parties of six or more were not “tips” under the FLSA. However, the Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the trial court’s determination that
New DOL Guidance Expands Eligibility for the Commissioned Employee Overtime Exemption
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, retail or service establishment employees can be exempt from overtime pay requirements if they are paid more than one and a half times the minimum wage and more than half of their compensation is comprised of commissions on goods or services (“commissioned employee”
National Appliance and Electronics Retailer’s Sales Commission Policy Was Lawful – For the Most Part, Sixth Circuit Rules
In what may be viewed as a pyrrhic victory, now-defunct[1] “big box” electronics, appliance and furniture retailer hhgregg’s commission-with-draws compensation program generally was lawful under the FLSA, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has held. However, its policy holding employees liable for any unearned draw payments upon termination of employment would violate the Act. Stein v. hhgregg, Inc., 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 19908 (3rd Cir. Oct. 12, 2017). The Sixth Circuit has jurisdiction over Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.
Commissioned Sales Employee Not Entitled To Commission Payment Under The Plain Language Of Incentive Compensation Plan
This blog has stressed (most recently here and here) the importance of carefully drafting incentive compensations plans to avoid unintentionally converting incentive compensation into earned “wages” protected under state law. Another recent decision, this one from the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reinforces the employer benefits of careful drafting. Lawson v. Sun Microsystems, Inc., 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 11201 (7th Cir. June 30, 2015).
How to Calculate Overtime for Salaried Employees Who Also Receive Commissions [Wage & Hour FAQ]
Reading about a recent lawsuit filed against Groupon, I was reminded that even the most cutting edge businesses may not understand the nuances associated with calculating overtime and find themselves a target for running afoul of wage and hour laws. My colleague and fellow blogger, Bill Pokorny, wrote a helpful blog entry last week on calculating overtime for salaried employees. I thought it might be useful for our readers if a follow-up entry was posted discussing how to calculate overtime for salaried, non-exempt employees who also receive commissions.
Social Profiles