Be careful what you write in employee handbooks. Seemingly innocent mistakes or careless wording can create major liabilities.
One statement that should never be in a handbook is “authorized overtime
is paid at 1.5 the hourly rate.”
Legally, that’s the same as saying “Our organization violates FLSA.”
Under FLSA, if a non-exempt employee works overtime – whether authorized or not – you must pay the overtime rate. What is legal is to head off unwanted OT before it happens.
It’s fine to say, “All overtime must be authorized by your supervisor.”
Next, describe the authorization process, and the disciplinary steps (if any) for breaking the rules.
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