Tag: Overtime Rules

Five Stories That Matter in Michigan This Week – May 10, 2024

  1. Fraser Trebilcock’s Growth Continues With Grand Rapids Office Relocation

Fraser Trebilcock Davis Dunlap & Cavanaugh, P.C., one of Michigan’s well established law firms with a history of providing excellent legal services, is pleased to announce it has relocated its Grand Rapids office. This move is a testament to the firm’s continued ability in taking a proactive approach in providing comprehensive legal solutions across a wide range of practice areas, helping clients capitalize on potential opportunities.

Why it Matters: In late April, Fraser Trebilcock’s Grand Rapids office moved to 300 Ottawa NW Suite 810, located within walking distance of all downtown restaurants, entertainment venues, museums, municipal buildings, and the Medical Mile. The office offers the full range of the firm’s legal services, including litigation, business, tax, real estate, trusts and estates, and other areas of specialty. Clients can expect the same level of professionalism and personalized attention that Fraser Trebilcock is known for. Read more.

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  1. DOL Finalizes Rule to Raise Overtime Salary Threshold

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced a final rule that will significantly increase the annual salary threshold required to classify employees as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The rule will raise the minimum salary requirement in two stages, from the current level of $35,568 per year to $43,888 per year on July 1, 2024, and then to $58,656 per year on January 1, 2025, with recalculations every three years thereafter.

Why it Matters: The DOL estimates that the rule will impact approximately 1 million employees initially and another 3 million employees after the second salary increase. Employers must now decide whether to increase salaries to maintain exempt status for affected employees or reclassify them as non-exempt workers entitled to overtime pay, considering factors such as overtime hours worked, labor costs, and administrative burdens.

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  1. CRA Issues Bulletin Regarding THCA

The Cannabis Regulatory Agency recently issued a bulletin to answer questions regarding tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (“THCA”), its status, and how businesses in the state can obtain and possess THCA.

Why it Matters: THCA is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid that is converted into THC when it goes through the process of decarboxylation (increasing temperature between 200-290 degrees). Under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, THCA is included in the definition of THC. Licensees can obtain and sell marijuana that contains THCA, and they are allowed to convert THCA into THC as long as they abide by state laws under the MRTMA.

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  1. June Business Education Series

Most entrepreneurs and business leaders face similar frustrations – employee conflicts, lack of sales, profit woes and inadequate growth. Decisions never seem to get made, or, once made, they fail to be properly implemented. There is a solution, and it is not complicated or theoretical.

Why it Matters: The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) is a practical method for achieving the business success you have always envisioned. More than 100,000 companies have discovered what EOS can do. Learn more and to register.

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  1. Fraser Trebilcock Attorney Robert D. Burgee Recognized as a ‘Michigan Go To Lawyer’ for Business Transactions by Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Fraser Trebilcock attorney Robert D. Burgee has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a ‘Michigan Go To Lawyer’ in 2024 for business transactions. “I am honored to have been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a ‘Michigan Go To Lawyer’ for business transactions,” said Bob.

Why it Matters: Mr. Burgee serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Business & Tax Department and Chair of the firm’s Employee Benefits Department. He has over a decade of experience assisting business clients and entrepreneurs with startups, acquisitions, succession, and growth planning, as well as more general legal guidance, including navigating civil matters, regulatory compliance, employee benefits, and human relations. Read more.

Related Practice Groups and Professionals

Cannabis Law | Sean Gallagher
Labor, Employment & Civil Rights | David Houston
Business & Tax | Robert Burgee

Federal Court Enjoins New Overtime Pay Rules

Nine days before the December 1, 2016, effective date, a federal district court in Texas has issued a nationwide injunction against implementation of the United States Department of Labor’s new rules which would dramatically increase the salary thresholds for most workers exempt from the overtime pay requirement of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The injunction is a preliminary injunction, meaning that it is not a permanent injunction. The court did state that the Plaintiffs, numerous state attorneys general, are likely to succeed in a final decision, and, therefore, a preliminary injunction preserving the status quo is warranted.

At this time, there is no news on whether the Department of Labor intends to pursue an emergency appeal of the preliminary injunction.  It is also unknown whether the new administration’s Labor Department and Justice Department will continue to defend the new regulation after the presidential inauguration.

The preliminary injunction does not forbid employers from adopting the new, higher salary thresholds voluntarily; employers have always been permitted to treat exempt employees as nonexempt for overtime purposes.  But for the time being at least, compliance with the new overtime pay thresholds will not be mandatory.

Read the Department of Labor’s overview of the new overtime regulations by clicking HERE.