I. INTRODUCTION

The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hour worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek.

However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees.

Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempts certain computer employees.

To qualify for exemption, employees must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week.

II. FINANCIAL SERVICES EMPLOYEES

To qualify for the administrative employee exemption, all of the following tests must be met:

1. The employee must be compensated on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per week;

2. The employees primary duty must be the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employers customers; and

3. The employees primary duty includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.

Employees in the financial services industry generally meet the duties requirements for the administrative exemption and are not entitled to overtime pay IF their duties include work such as collecting and analyzing information regarding the customers income, assets, investments or debts; determining which financial products best meet the customers needs and financial circumstances; advising the customer regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different financial products; AND marketing, servicing or promoting the employers financial products.

However, an employee whose primary duty is selling financial products does not qualify for the administrative exemption. In applying the exemption, it does not matter whether the employees activities are aimed at an end user or an intermediary. The status of financial services employees is based on the duties they perform, not on the identity of the customer they serve.

III. OUTSIDE SALES

To qualify for the outside sales employee exemption, all of the following tests must be met:

1. The employees primary duty must be making sales (as defined in the FLSA), or obtaining orders or contracts for services or for the use of facilities for which a consideration will be paid by the client or customer; and

2. The employee must be customarily and regularly engaged away from the employers place or places of business.

3. The salary requirements of the regulation do not apply to the outside sales exemption. An employee who does not satisfy the requirements of the outside sales exemption may still qualify as an exempt employee under one of the other exemptions allowed by Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA and the Part 541 regulations if all the criteria for the exemption is met.

A. Primary Duty

Primary duty means the principal, main, major or most important duty that the employee performs. Determination of an employees primary duty must be based on all the facts in a particular case, with the major emphasis on the character of the employees job as a whole.

B. Making Sales

Sales includes any sale, exchange, contract to sell, consignment for sales, shipment for sale, or other disposition. It includes the transfer of title to tangible property, and in certain cases, of tangible and valuable evidences of intangible property.

C. Obtaining Orders or Contracts for Services or for the Use of Facilities

Obtaining orders for the use of facilities includes the selling of time on radio or television, the solicitation of advertising for newspapers and other periodicals, and the solicitation of freight for railroads and other transportation agencies. The word services extends the exemption to employees who sell or take orders for a service, which may be performed for the customer by someone other than the person taking the order.