Note: This "Good to Know!" published on October 25, 2016
Information on this page was current as of the day of publication. For the latest information visit the Auburn University FLSA page.
Last month, Auburn University Human Resources hosted a series of workshops for employees who will be impacted by the Fair Labor Standards Act change. We shared information about the upcoming change, and they in turn asked us several dozen questions about how the change will impact them and their jobs.
We appreciated the sincerity and openness of those who attended the workshops. They asked many questions about payroll scheduling, overtime premium, accurate timekeeping, and after‐hours network access. We’ll share additional information about these topics in future “Good to Know” communications. Employees also discussed many other concerns which you as a supervisor should be aware of:
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Effective communication is arguably the most important factor to successfully implement this change at Auburn University. Several employees shared with us their desire to receive additional information from their supervisors about the change. While many supervisors and employees have discussed these changes, other employees have received little if any information from their supervisors. For example, some employees learned they would be impacted by the FLSA change only when they found a packet in their mailbox, even though we asked supervisors to personally inform employees about the change. This type of communication gap can make successful implementation of the change difficult. If you have not discussed the change with your direct reports, we encourage you to do so immediately.
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Some employees dislike the redesignation of their respective jobs, even explaining that they feel like they are being demoted. In every meeting, we shared with employees that the re‐designation is not reflective of their job performance or their value to Auburn University. The FLSA change is a federal mandate that we must adhere to. We ask supervisors to reinforce the message that we have shared several times with supervisors and employees – regardless of a job’s classification, every employee is equally valued at Auburn University.
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Many of those who attended the workshops emphasized that they take pride in their jobs. However, some employees shared concerns that if they are required to work overtime – even for a valid reason – it could reflect poorly on their performance review. Other employees fear they will be passed up for special projects or other tasks which could help them grow as an employee, just because their job is nonexempt. Again, this is why it is important that you discuss this change and its impact with your direct reports, to determine how you can work together to implement this change successfully.
Questions or comments regarding this “Good to Know!” bulletin can be directed to Human Resources at 844-4145 or univhr@auburn.edu.
