The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) overtime rule is unlikely to come to fruition. The rule—which was scheduled to take effect Dec. 1, 2016—was delayed by federal court injunction on Nov. 22, 2016. In December, the DOL filed for an expedited appeal of the court injunction.
However, on Jan. 25, 2017, the DOL, which is now under the direction of President Donald Trump, requested a 30-day extension to file a brief in its appeal. Recent actions by the Trump administration suggest that it is unlikely that the overtime rule will ever become effective, even if the DOL is successful in its appeal.
For now, employers can rely on existing overtime exemption rules. Employers that have already made adjustments to comply with the new rule may find it difficult to reverse any changes.
For employers looking to roll back salary adjustments, carefully consider employee morale and the potential impact that rescinding promised changes will have on your company. The HR department can be a valuable resource for communicating any changes to employees.
