(April 12, 2016) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has developed the Littler Xmpt Toolkit to help employers navigate the coming changes to the U.S. Department of Labor’s “white collar” exemption overtime regulations. The rule, which could expand overtime protections to 5 million white collar workers, is expected to be finalized as early as May, with employers possibly required to comply in as little as 60 days later.
“Organizations across the country are evaluating the impact of the coming regulatory changes on their operations and the manner in which they classify and pay their employees,” said Littler attorneys Tammy McCutchen and Lee Schreter in a joint statement. “The Littler Xmpt Toolkit will assist employers with the daunting task of understanding the new regulations and ensuring compliance, as well as making tough decisions on whether to reclassify or increase the salaries of exempt employees earning less than the expected $50,440 minimum salary level for exemption.”
The Littler Xmpt Toolkit provides free online access to information that will help employers understand these changes. It also offers a web-based cost estimator, which was developed by ComplianceHR®, a joint venture between Littler and Neota Logic, to assess the potential costs of reclassification. Once the final rule is published, the website will provide a summary of the changes and a side-by-side comparison of the old and new regulations.
The premium, fixed-fee Littler Xmpt Toolkit offers a web-based portal, as well as guidance on determining which employees will need to be reclassified and implementing the reclassification process. The portal will also provide:
- A step-by-step guide to the reclassification process
- A communications plan template and materials to assist in communicating changes to employees and managers
- Training webinars and presentations on such topics as exemption requirements and overtime pay calculations
- Template policies and agreements related to off-the-clock work, meal and rest breaks, and other wage and hour issues
- Comprehensive state-by-state guides to wage and hour laws
- Library of state-by-state surveys on wage and hour topics and analysis of new legislation and regulations
The premium version also includes a trial subscription to ComplianceHR’s Navigator OT, an online and intelligent solution that delivers risk assessments on overtime exemptions, and legal advice from a Littler attorney experienced in exemption decisions and the reclassification process.
In addition to McCutchen, former administrator of the wage and hour division at the Department of Labor and a principal in Littler’s Washington, D.C., office, and Schreter, co-chair of Littler’s Wage and Hour Practice, based in the Atlanta office, the Littler Xmpt Toolkit was developed by Washington, D.C.-based shareholders Richard Black and Joshua Waxman. It is a part of Littler Xmpt®, an innovative service that helps employers prepare for and manage exempt misclassification claims.
The Littler Xmpt Toolkit represents the latest addition to Littler’s suite of innovative products and services. The firm’s commitment to innovation has been recognized through numerous awards and accolades, including the Financial Times’ 2015 “North America Innovative Lawyers” report.
About Littler
Littler is the largest global employment and labor law practice, with more than 1,000 attorneys in over 70 offices worldwide. Littler represents management in all aspects of employment and labor law and serves as a single-source solution provider to the global employer community. Consistently recognized in the industry as a leading and innovative law practice, Littler has been litigating, mediating and negotiating some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record for over 70 years. Littler Global is the collective trade name for an international legal practice, the practicing entities of which are separate and distinct professional firms.
