The salary threshold is the minimum salary that an employee must be paid in order to be exempt from overtime pay. The salary threshold was set at $23,660 in 2004 and has not been updated since then. As a result, many workers who are currently classified as exempt are actually eligible for overtime pay.
The Department of Labor has proposed updating the salary threshold to $50,440. This update would make more than 1 million workers eligible for overtime pay. The proposed update has been met with mixed reactions. Some businesses support the update, arguing that it will help to ensure that workers are paid fairly. Others oppose the update, arguing that it will be too costly for businesses.