Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner Laura O’Donnell talked with HR Magazine about how employers can gain acceptance from employees about their reclassification to nonexempt status.
Here is an excerpt:
Workers newly reclassified as nonexempt employees initially may dislike their new classification. They may think they were demoted, no longer can work the hours they need to get the job done and have lost work flexibility. Employers can counter these objections with clear communications about the advantages of nonexempt status—but don't promise the impossible. Off-the-clock work, for example, cannot be permitted.
Employees may resent having to account for when they start and end work and when they take meal breaks. Employers can reduce the negative repercussions of tracking time by making the process as automated as possible, said Laura O'Donnell, an attorney with Haynes and Boone in San Antonio. "Getting employee buy-in may require some investment by the employer," she said.
O'Donnell added that workers' buy-in is important because "negative employee morale will lead to decreased productivity, increased management time addressing issues and even litigation."
To read the full article, click here.