Navigating the Complex World of Alaska Labor Laws for Salary Employees: What You Need to Know

With the modern global economy, it is more important than ever to understand wage and hour laws and the rights of employees. This is equally true for employers, who would be well-served to understand the extent and nature of their labor laws. In the state of Alaska, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Division of Labor Standards and Safety oversees these regulations.

It can be a common misconception that people working in professions that pay by salary do not also earn overtime pay. While there are many people who work in these types of jobs that are not entitled to receive direct compensation for the hours they work in excess of their 40 duty hours per week, many other salaried workers are entitled to receive hours paid in addition to their salaries. That is why learning about alaska labor laws for salary employees is so important.

Contrary to the beliefs of many people, the standard of salary effecting exception from overtime does not apply to all job duties. It only applies to those exempting job functions defined within the United States Code of Federal Regulations Title 29 Chapter 5 Subchapter B.

The first and most commonplace exception is for professionals who are compensated on a salary basis, and whose primary duty is meeting the requirements of a designated professional occupation under the exemptions. These include jobs in medicine and law, as well as architecture, engineering and accounting. Those who work in such careers are often professional and independent contributors to a business. They must perform the duties of their occupations within the bounds of state, federal and industrial standards and regulations. Additionally, they must have completed a specific level of accredited and specialized education necessary to meet the rigorous certification and testing requirements to operate and work in their field.

The second category eligible for the salary exception is those working in a management position. This is common for shift supervisors and plant managers in the manufacturing and industrial sectors as well as other occupations tasked with overseeing the completion and success of a team. This is especially true when the manager is responsible for passing down company policies, regulations and requirements to subordinates before them.

The final category of occupations that may qualify for the salary exception are those who work in exempt academic or educational institutions. These include teachers, professors, faculty and researchers who teach or demonstrate special techniques or skills.

One of the reasons for this exemption is that these jobs often have a set limit for hours that must be completed, and thus they involve exempt workers performing the duties of their careers over an irregular schedule. Even though there are significant advances in technology, many jobs still require an individual to be present at certain times, especially occupations that involve working in industries that require direct contact with other individuals, animals or land.

Recently, the decision in one lawsuit regarding store managers at Lowe’s Home Centers was a welcome surprise for many. It allowed many managers who believed they had been unlawfully denied overtime pay to receive over $2 million in overdue payments. Nonexempt employees are those workers whom are paid on a nonexempt basis, based primarily on the basis of a guaranteed salary. This is in contrast to those who are paid based on the number of hours worked. Nonexempt employees must be compensated on an hourly basis, as well as paid overtime or an alternative rate if they work hours beyond 40.

When it comes to the minimum requirements for a wage to be considered a salary, it does not have to be paid weekly or annually, and it does not have to be a specific number or range of dollars to count. It must simply meet or exceed the minimum requirement set by the state, which includes meeting the minimum weekly nominee level for a specified workweek, or surpassing the minimum amount paid for each hour worked.

In short, workers in Alaska are not exempt from labor laws regarding pay, and only those workers in the three previously listed categories may claim exemption from the weekly requirement.

For more information on labor laws, you can visit the U.S. Department of Labor.