Iowa Salary Exempt Mandatory overtime question

[engineerrob]

I'm a salary exempt engineer. I have an agreement to get a defined salary, paid every other week, for 40 hours per week. If the company rolls out a mandatory 50 hours per week for the entire workforce (hourly, salary exempt, and salary non-exempt), would the agreement need to be re-evaluated for the extra 10 hours of work per week for salary exempt employees? Or would those employee's be required work the extra 10 hours per week with no additional pay required?

 

[justalayman]

It would require reevaluation only if the employer chooses to do so.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Nope, your salary covers 50 hours, 60 hours even 70 hours. Welcome to the real world where many professionals work more than 40 hours on salary.

 

[cbg]

40 hours a week is totally meaningless where exempt employees are concerned. Exempt employees are not paid on the basis of the number of hours they work, but on the value of the job to the company.

You would need to have the "agreement" evaluated by an attorney for a definite answer. But unless the attorney confirms that your "agreement" constituted a legally binding and enforceable contract, the employer could require you to work as many hours as the employer feels necessary with no additional pay required.

 

[eerelations]

If this "agreement" rises to the level of a bona fide and enforceable contract, and the contract says you will work 40 hours per week and only 40 hours per week, no more, no less, then you could conceivably have a valid reason to re-negotiate the contract.

Is this "agreement" an actual contract?

And no, a handbook is not a contract, an employment offer letter is not a contract, and a verbal chat with your boss on/near your start date is not a contract.)