The department manager, wage and hour law, and the control of overtime

The department manager must be familiar with a few specific features of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), specifically those addressing the differences between exempt (salaried) employees and nonexempt (hourly) employees and the payment of overtime. The FLSA is the most frequently violated law relating to employment, and most department managers' concerns about the FLSA involve overtime. The manager must be thoroughly conversant with these specific portions of wage and hour law and must be aware of the common causes of overtime while recognizing the legitimate use of overtime under certain circumstances and knowing what he/she can do to control the extent of overtime use in the department. The control of overtime is often one of the manager's significant responsibilities.