A unanimous Supreme Court recently clarified the burden of proof an employer must meet to establish that an employee is exempt from the overtime pay requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Prior to this decision, some courts had imposed a more difficult clear-and-convincing standard of proof. But, the Supreme Court made clear that the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard of proof applies.

It has long been established that the employer bears the burden of proving that any employee it classifies as exempt from the overtime pay requirements meets all the requirements of the applicable exemption. But courts had imposed differing standards for evaluating the proof burden that an employer had to meet. With this decision, a positive development for employers, the Supreme Court ruled that an employer must show only that it is more likely than not that an employee meets the applicable exemption.

As a reminder, certain workers can be classified as exempt from the overtime pay requirements of the FLSA if their work duties meet applicable requirements and, for some exemptions, if they also are paid a guaranteed salary over a certain statutory threshold.

Following this decision, although the burden still remains with the employer, employers now have a clear and easier standard to meet across the country.

If you have any questions about how this decision may impact your business or questions about FLSA overtime rules and exemptions, please contact the authors.

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Photo of Tim K. Garrett Tim K. Garrett

Tim Garrett helps employers solve complex issues related to all aspects of labor and employment law, providing in depth counseling and developing creative solutions to underlying business issues. He is an experienced trial lawyer, defending employers of all sizes in employment litigation claims…

Tim Garrett helps employers solve complex issues related to all aspects of labor and employment law, providing in depth counseling and developing creative solutions to underlying business issues. He is an experienced trial lawyer, defending employers of all sizes in employment litigation claims across the country. His work has ranged from defending a major university during a significant wage and hour collective action involving thousands of employees to the successful defense of a major healthcare provider in a gender discrimination / retaliation case. In addition, Tim has served as nationwide labor and employment counsel for the largest nonprofit dialysis company in the U.S.

Photo of Hunter K. Yoches Hunter K. Yoches

Hunter Yoches represents management in all aspects of labor and employment law and related litigation.  He regularly defends employers against various claims and counsels clients on a wide range of day-to-day employment matters. Hunter has experience litigating cases and counseling clients regarding federal…

Hunter Yoches represents management in all aspects of labor and employment law and related litigation.  He regularly defends employers against various claims and counsels clients on a wide range of day-to-day employment matters. Hunter has experience litigating cases and counseling clients regarding federal and state employment laws, including collective and class action litigation, contract disputes, and compliance issues. He advises clients related to wage and hour laws (such as the Fair Labor Standards Act), discrimination laws (such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and others), unfair labor practices (such as the National Labor Relations Act), and more, helping employers remain compliant with the constantly changing laws and regulations that impact the workplace.