What should I discuss with my employees who are becoming eligible for overtime?

Managers and supervisors may need to set new expectations and change department schedules or behaviors in order to manage hours worked within budgets. It is important to clearly communicate any new department standards or business processes to newly non-exempt employees. These communications should include:

• Guidelines for using mobile devices outside of normal work hours to respond to calls or emails (See related FAQ)
• Expectation to seek approval for overtime (See related FAQ)
• How to report time worked in excess of 40 hours a week (See related FAQ)
• Adjustments to work schedules when work must occur outside of normal business hours (See related FAQ)

Communicating a clearly defined overtime approval process to your non-exempt employees can assist you in managing both time and budget resources. However, while non-exempt employees should seek pre-approval before working overtime, it is important to remember that all overtime must be paid, whether pre-approved or not.