How do I determine if I'm exempt or non-exempt for payroll classification?

Exempt vs. non-exempt refers to your status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which determines overtime pay eligibility. Here's a simple breakdown: Non-exempt: You're entitled to overtime pay (time and a half) when you work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Most hourly employees fall into this category. Exempt: You're not entitled to overtime pay regardless of how many hours you work. To qualify as exempt, you typically need to: 1) Be paid on a salary basis, 2) Make at least $35,568 per year ($684 per week), and 3) Perform job duties that are considered executive, administrative, or professional in nature. In most cases, your employer should actually be telling you which classification applies to your position, as this isn't usually something employees choose themselves. I'd recommend reaching out to your HR department for clarification, as selecting the wrong option could affect how you're paid.

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Quick cheat sheet from someone who processes payroll: - Paid hourly = almost always non-exempt - Can your hours vary week to week? = probably non-exempt - Do you supervise others? = might be exempt - Are you a doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc? = probably exempt - Do you make independent decisions? = might be exempt - Make less than $35,568? = definitely non-exempt - Work in retail/food service/manual labor? = almost always non-exempt Hope this helps with your deadline tomorrow!

If ur still confused by tomorrow you should just select non-exempt to be safe. Most employees are non-exempt and if ur truly unsure that's probably the right answer. if your employer meant for you to be exempt they probably would have told you specifically

Jessica, I understand your stress about this deadline! As someone who works in HR, I want to clarify something important: employee classification (exempt vs non-exempt) should NOT be a choice you make yourself. This is a legal determination your employer makes based on your specific job duties, salary, and other factors under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The fact that you're being asked to "choose" is actually a red flag. Your employer should be telling you which classification applies to your position. I'd strongly recommend reaching out to your supervisor or HR department immediately to ask them to clarify your correct classification rather than guessing. If you absolutely must submit something by tomorrow and can't get guidance, document that you were asked to choose without proper direction. But don't just guess - misclassification can lead to payroll issues, tax problems, and potential wage violations down the line. Your employer has a legal obligation to classify you correctly, not leave it up to you to figure out.

Jessica, I can definitely understand the stress you're feeling about this deadline! As someone who's helped numerous employees navigate classification issues, I want to reassure you that you're asking the right questions and handling this responsibly. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about this being your employer's legal determination rather than your personal choice. Since you're under time pressure, let me offer one additional resource that might help: if you do end up needing to make a quick decision tonight, the Department of Labor has a basic fact sheet (Fact Sheet #17A) that outlines the main criteria for exempt vs non-exempt status in simple terms. You can find it on their website at dol.gov. The key things to look for in your situation: - Are you paid a fixed salary regardless of hours worked? - Do your job duties involve significant independent judgment and discretion? - Does your role involve managing others or making important business decisions? If any of these don't clearly apply to your position, non-exempt is likely the correct choice. But I'd still strongly encourage you to send that email tonight requesting clarification from your supervisor or HR. You could even mention that you found conflicting information online and want to ensure you're selecting the option that's compliant with your company's policies. Remember, this shows initiative and attention to detail - qualities any employer values in a new hire. You're going to do great in this new role!