In this course we discuss the requirements needed to determine if a worker is an exempt employee or a nonexempt employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

We start with a brief review of the terms “exempt” and “nonexempt”. From this we discuss the requirements for designating an employee exempt under the FLSA. This discussion includes the definition of the 4+ categories of exempt employees, blue collar workers and first responders. This leads into a conversation about the duties requirements for each of these types of classifications under the wage and hour rules. We, then examine the requirements for paying an exempt employee including the salary basis rules and the salary level test. The salary level test include the latest update available on the latest salary levels currently in effect. Finally we will briefly review the various possible requirements on the state level for exempt employees.

This course serves as a sound basis to assist human resources, payroll or finance professionals in determining how to properly classify as an exempt employee and to understand the difference between exempt and nonexempt.

Learning Objectives
  • Explore the terms exempt, nonexempt and salary basis.
  • Discover and define the requirements under the FLSA regulations that are used to classify workers as exempt.
  • Identify each category of exempt employee and the job duties requirements that must be met.
  • Identify the requirements that must be met to properly pay an exempt employee on a salary basis.
Last updated/reviewed: March 15, 2024
128 Reviews (415 ratings)

Reviews

4
Anonymous Author
It was very disappointing that posted questions had not been answered. One user asked about licensed real estate sales people who sell new homes in models owned by their employers. They are typically not paid overtime, but it would be interesting to know into which category they fall.

5
Anonymous Author
This course provided an excellent overview of the primary differences between exempt and non-exempt employment classification as well as evaluating exemptions. The instructor presented content in an engaging manner, and the supporting materials were relevant and concise!

5
Anonymous Author
If you are an HR professional looking to refresh your knowledge of exempt versus non-exempt status, this would be an excellent course to take. The information was pertinent and presented in a way that kept the viewer engaged.

5
Member's Profile
Very thorough, structured course and somehow Vicki managed to make it entertaining. The downfall, however, is that course hasn't been updated. I'm watching it in 2021 and most of the dollar amounts have changed significantly.

5
Member's Profile
This information is basic knowledge in the payroll world and different pieces of education come out regarding it every year but this helped to re-iterate some of the basic rules that might be forgotten from time to time.

4
Anonymous Author
Interesting content - although this course was recorded in 2015 which means that some of the information is no longer correct. It might be helpful to update the content to reflect current limits etc. as of January 2020.

5
Member's Profile
This course was very informative, and allowed for greater insight into the legal aspects of exempt employees. The instructor was very detailed and easy to follow. Anyone in payroll would benefit from this course.

5
Anonymous Author
Very strong and well informed presenter. This is a well organized and detailed presentation with examples to highlight key points / nuances. Would like to see this updated to reflect most recent labor regs.

4
Member's Profile
Excellent course to ensure you are paying employees appropriately. All too often Employers think salary means exempt from OT, however the salaried employee doesn't meet any of the exempt qualifications.

5
Member's Profile
Good, clear, and concise explanations of the various exempt roles that if not followed can get an employer in hot water! Great info for manager, HR professionals and payroll professionals alike.

5
Member's Profile
This course was very helpful to me and my company. This speaker was very well informed and easy to follow. I would love to have an updated version of this with all of the changes since 2015.

5
Member's Profile
Very thorough and valuable information. I noticed after I was part way into the course that the copyright mark is 2015 so I wonder what's different in 2017? I'll have to look into it....

5
Anonymous Author
Thank you, this course was great. I felt like it covered everything necessary and provided me with the tools to pass the exam at the end. Overall I would recommend this to a colleague.

5
Anonymous Author
I learned more about the exemption rules for professional and computer employees. Understanding the difference between non exempt and exempt is crucial so this was a great course.

5
Member's Profile
Another great course for refreshment and recertification of CPP. This is another class in which I would keep the handouts for future reference when members of HR have questions.

5
Member's Profile
Very detailed information regarding all of the classes of employees. Webinar was very well done, including the audio! I will definitely take more webinars from Ms. Lambert!

5
Anonymous Author
This is not an easy topic to master. However, the instructor's exceptional mastery of this subject greatly helped us in understanding the many nuances of labor exemptions.

4
Anonymous Author
This was a very informative lecture on determining FLSA exemption status for employees. It goes over the tests required for determining exempt employees and what they mean.

5
Member's Profile
Vicki is very knowledgeable and presents information in a well-organized way. Her delivery is light-hearted and makes the reception of complex material easier to digest.

4
Member's Profile
good course I will hang on to this one for future reference.. the only thing is it is a bit dated. So will have to look up the new limits and thresholds and what not

4
Anonymous Author
Very detailed information and to the point, excellent supporting material. Why this course is outdated since 2015 ? Why it is old and not updated with 2020 course?

5
Anonymous Author
The course was very helpful in outlining the different rules and regulations one must consider when performing payroll. The trainer provided some good examples.

5
Member's Profile
This course succinctly covers the considerations in determining whether an employee is exempt or nonexempt. I found this to be informative and easy to follow.

5
Member's Profile
I've had over 10 years out in the business and thoroughly enjoyed the content. It never gets old learning about the FLSA. Great course and awesome content!

5
Anonymous Author
This course provided an excellent overview of the differences between exempt and non-exempt employees. The supporting materials were relevant and concise.

5
Member's Profile
Vicki's courses are exceptionally thorough. The right level of difficult. The test is hard ... you have to listen and understand. Truly good training.

4
Member's Profile
maybe a few more examples to test knowledge during the sessions...maybe some on the edge (administrative assistance who also does paralegal duties?)...

5
Member's Profile
Excellent review for any payroll professional looking for the finer details of exempt status and the ins and outs of payroll for those employees.

5
Member's Profile
I liked the items were divided into sections to take it at a pace you can learn at. Sometimes could not sit through entire topics in one sitting.

5
Anonymous Author
This class was very informative and a very good source for reviewing the laws. Instructor was clear in explaining by sighting lots of examples.

5
Anonymous Author
Another great course by Vicki Lambert. I appreciate her attention to detail and her insight. Will continue to take courses by this presenter.

5
Anonymous Author
Very knowledgeable, energetic and enthusiastic presenter. A very valuable resource for referencing. Comprehensive information and good tips.

5
Member's Profile
This class provides a brief overview of the exempt qualifications for executives, administrative, professional, and outside sales positions.

5
Anonymous Author
Great course! I appreciated the thorough explanations of each type of exempt employee. The information on deductions was helpful as well.

5
Anonymous Author
Helpful information to build background knowledge. Would recommend for HR/Payroll teams as resource for when to 1099/W2 Temp employees.

5
Member's Profile
Vicki is a very knowledgable teacher and has an engaging style. It makes it easier to pay attention to a very detailed subject matter.

5
Anonymous Author
I liked the searchable pdf of the course. It was easy to review and look up answers to questions. The webinar was very informative.

5
Member's Profile
I have taken several of Ms. Lamberts courses and have never been dissapointed, she knows her subject matter very well inside and out.

5
Member's Profile
Very informative. I would recommend to anyone who is running a company. Gives a great review of exempt and nonexempt employees.

5
Member's Profile
I love the Vicki Lambert webinars. She makes it interesting and easy to follow. This webinar was very interesting. Great Job.

5
Anonymous Author
This was a very helpful overview of the different rules relating to exempt status. I appreciated the many specific examples.

5
Member's Profile
Extremely helpful and informative. The instructor was incredibly knowledgeable and detail in her explanation of the material.

3
Member's Profile
Good overall course. I liked the different tests and examples given to help understand whether employees are exempt or not.

5
Anonymous Author
This course mostly focuses on the wording of the FLSA code. The material covers how employers utilize the code in practice.

5
Member's Profile
A great lesson to determine exempt or non-exempt employees! These can confusing, but the Instructor explained it very well!

5
Anonymous Author
I found the examples of permitted salary deductions vs. improper salary deductions for exempt employees to be very helpful.

4
Anonymous Author
The instructor is very informative and lays out the information in an easy to follow manner. It is a good in depth class.

5
Anonymous Author
Great, quick refresher course that is helpful for those who are not involved in payroll related topics on a daily basis.

5
Anonymous Author
Strong and informative. super excited when i see it's Vicki and I can listen to her lessons and they apply to my RCH's

4
Anonymous Author
Pretty thorough look at the Labor laws regarding exempt employees. I appreciated the time to explain each exemption.

5
Member's Profile
Very good refresher course! I would recommend that the salary level section be updated to reflect 2020 new amounts.

5
Anonymous Author
Another great refresher course. I will be able to share this with my HR team as this is constantly being reviewed.

5
Member's Profile
I want to review this information again. There were some points that I thought were very interesting and helpful.

5
Anonymous Author
Good refresher course for exemption details. Course should updated as it sound like it was recorded prior to 2015.

5
Member's Profile
I really enjoyed how concise and easy the course was at explaining the differences between exempt and non-exempt.

5
Member's Profile
This instructor is very easy to listen to! She does a great job of making the information relevant and digestable.

5
Member's Profile
The course was very,very informative presented in a simple way, where one can grasp and understand it right away.

4
Anonymous Author
Thorough intro/review of exempt/non-exempt wage and hour law...especially for the non-payroll professional

5
Member's Profile
Ms. Lambert is a very good instructor. Her real life examples, slides and style of delivery are excellent.

5
Member's Profile
I really enjoy Vicki's teaching style. She is a down to earth person explaining concepts with examples.

5
Anonymous Author
Very helpful in determining exempt status. The instructor is clearly very knowledgeable in her field.

5
Anonymous Author
Great refresher from one of the best payroll trainers around - love her courses. Will highly recommend.

5
Member's Profile
An excellent overview of the rules and regulations for determining who is exempt and who is nonexempt.

5
Member's Profile
This class really helped me have a better understanding of the rules regarding exempt /non exempt.

4
Anonymous Author
A good overview of an area in HR that most managers are unware of and have little understanding.

5
Anonymous Author
A good course to explain the differences. Covers all the scenario in an easy to understand way.

5
Member's Profile
Very through with plenty of scenarios. The instructor is very pleasant and goes at a good pace.

5
Anonymous Author
I really liked this course. Everything is laid out and explained clearly. I enjoy the slides.

5
Anonymous Author
great refresher course, I learned a few updated things including some the presidential history

4
Anonymous Author
Good overview of an important topic for anyone in the managerial side of business operations.

5
Member's Profile
A very thorough review of the many aspects involved in determining an employee's FLSA status.

5
Member's Profile
Good wording, easy to understand, the factors are well listed and explained, nice webinar...

5
Anonymous Author
Very informative. Instructor was extremely knowledgeable; kept my attention without fail.

5
Anonymous Author
Vicki Lambert gives very detailed and understandable details regarding the subject matter!

4
Member's Profile
Good summary of exempt condition. Author makes the topic enjoyable. I would recommend it!

3
Member's Profile
Based on the dates in the presentation, I am concerned if all the information is current.

5
Anonymous Author
This was an effective course. I learned a few things I did not know regarding exemptions

5
Member's Profile
Good content, very comprehensive and easy to understand. Will recommend to colleagues.

5
Anonymous Author
The trainer was very knowledgeable, well spoken and the course moved at a good pace.

5
Anonymous Author
very good course passed on the 1st try will definitely recommend fo you to take exam

5
Anonymous Author
This was a great course. I learned a lot of mew things that I didn’t know before.

5
Anonymous Author
Good refresher on tests and knowledge on whether an employee is exempt or non-exempt

5
Member's Profile
Great course overall, easy to understand. Solid refresher on exempt vs non exempt.

4
Anonymous Author
Lots of information to take in. Course was clearly laid out and organized well.

5
Anonymous Author
This was very informative and a good refresher. Thanks for putting this together.

5
Anonymous Author
I believe that this course would be beneficial for any individual in any industry,

5
Member's Profile
This is a very comprehensive course on exempt vs. non-exempt status! Thank you!

5
Member's Profile
The course was very interesting and the instructor was very knowledgeable.

5
Anonymous Author
So helpful! Information helps clarify what otherwise might be murky waters.

4
Anonymous Author
The webinar was very informative and supplied very important information.

5
Anonymous Author
Very well put together course that is easy to follow and very informative

5
Member's Profile
Great content. Always good to brush up on compliance knowledge! Thanks!

5
Member's Profile
A solid review of exempt vs non exempt and the definitions around them.

5
Member's Profile
The class was very interesting and informative and I really enjoyed it.

5
Anonymous Author
Vickie Lambert is a great instructor, engaging and easy to understand.

5
Anonymous Author
This was a very beneficial course. However, it should be updated.

5
Member's Profile
Outstanding presentation of technical matter. Excellent course!

5
Member's Profile
Really good detail and very clear understanding. Liked this course.

4
Anonymous Author
Excellent overview. The instructor was detailed and easy to follow.

5
Member's Profile
Great refresher for managers and more insight into the new changes

5
Anonymous Author
Excellent content---There is more to this issue than I thought :)

5
Member's Profile
Always a great presenter - organized and slides are very helpful.

5
Anonymous Author
This course was very informative and helpful for my current job.

5
Member's Profile
I hate completing this form. please take is out of the scoring.

5
Anonymous Author
I enjoyed this course. The speaker seemed very knowledgeable.

4
Member's Profile
Very good Basic Exempt of Nonexempt course!! Vicki is great!

5
Anonymous Author
Excellent course, great instructor. Very helpful information.

5
Member's Profile
Surprised by some of the definitions and some of the rules.

5
Anonymous Author
please update the course to reflect recent law in 2019-2020

4
Member's Profile
Good course but needs to be updated for 2015-2016 changes.

5
Member's Profile
Great presentation! Held my attention and I learned a lot.

5
Member's Profile
Very informative tool to keep on hand. Great information.

4
Member's Profile
Great break down of a topic that can get very confusing!

5
Member's Profile
Course was a great primer on understanding exempt status

5
Member's Profile
Great refresher course for payroll and HR professionals.

5
Anonymous Author
Very informative and even a little challenging for me!

5
Anonymous Author
Great refresher course. Good content and information.

3
Member's Profile
This was a good class and a solid refresher for work.

4
Member's Profile
I found the category exemption review most helpful.

5
Member's Profile
Great content, Vicki's trainings are always great.

5
Member's Profile
Very good information on a very confusing subject.

5
Anonymous Author
This was a fun course and a great refresher course.

5
Member's Profile
very informative and contained useful information.

5
Anonymous Author
Great overview of the rules and nice examples.

5
Member's Profile
I wished Vicki Lambert worked for us

5
Anonymous Author
Very detailed and easy to follow.

5
Anonymous Author
Excellent refresher course.

5
Anonymous Author
Great course!

Prerequisites
Course Complexity: Intermediate

No advanced preparation or prerequisites are required for this course.

Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Course Questions and Answers1 Question
User picture

I worked for a company and was called a CFO with over 100k salary plus bonus in Texas. I had 1 direct report, although I did not hire, fire, or give the review. I had no authorization to make operational decisions, and spent more than 80% of my time completing reconciliations, inputting invoices, and making bank deposits, opening mail and other general data entry. My employee did the same, but her salary was probably around 55k to 65k with bonuses. I believe she was wrongly classified as a manager considering the facts I stated previously and she had no direct reports. She worked 40 to 50 hours per week. I worked 55
to 70 hours per week. I do have
my CPA license, but that was
obviously not needed for data
entry or this job. What recourse
if any do either of us have or is it
career "suicide" to do anything if
something could be done? I
was employed about 10 1/2 to 11 months. My employee was
there about 3 years.

Instructor for this course
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
  Introduction to Exempt or Nonexempt status4:39
  The Basics of Exempt Employees9:40
Job Duties Test
  Executive Job Duties Test14:42
  Administrative Duties7:34
  Learned Professional Duties4:42
  Creative Professional Duties 7:12
  Outside Sales Duties Test 7:14
Salary Tests
  Salary Level Test17:58
  Salary Basis Test 22:00
CONCLUSION
  Where The States Stand5:24
Continuous Play
  Exempt or Nonexempt? That is the Question!1:41:05
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
  Slides: Exempt or Nonexempt? That is the Question!PDF
  Exempt or Nonexempt? That is the Question! Glossary/IndexPDF
REVIEW & TEST
  REVIEW QUESTIONSquiz
 FINAL EXAMexam