b'agriculture; motor, rail, and air carriage; household services;What Should I Do:forestryandlogging;andthenewspaperindustryhaveGood: Evaluate every position in your company and implement exemptions not covered here.appropriateexemptions.Becarefulnottomakeimproper Common Situations: deductions from an exempt employees wages because you could lose the exemption and have to pay back overtime. Radiologytech:AcmeImaginghiresaradiologytechnician withspecializedtrainingfromanaccreditedtradeschool. Better: Make job descriptions for all exempt positions tailored to Acme characterizes the tech as exempt under the professionalthe exemption. They will be helpful if audited. Also, verify with exemption. Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest pitfalls withthe employees affected that they believe their job meets the overtime exemptions. The Department of Labor (DOL) is veryrequirements.strict about this exemption. Many types of technicians, including some nurses, bookkeepers, cooks, paralegals, and engineeringBest: Sometimes the DOL disallows a claimed exemption when techs are not exempt. conducting an audit.If that happens, the employees you thought were exempt suddenly are not, and you may have to pay back Salary deduction from exempt employee: The Dewy, Cheatum,overtime. To protect against wild overtime back-charges, have & Howe law firm, closes its office due to ice on the roads andeven exempt employees keep a time sheet. deducts a day of pay from its employees. Its office manager complains to the DOL. An investigator takes away the office managers administrative exemption and charges the company for back overtime. Be carefulexemptions are fragile. Exempt employees must usually be paid their full salary each weekrain or shine. Employers must be very careful to clear deductions from exempt employees wages with their lawyer.The Case of the Traveling Salesman: Mark is treated as an exempt outside salesman by Joes Basket Co. He works in the office about one week a month making calls and delivering producttocustomers.Hetravelstheremainderofthetime tocalloncustomersandpresentattradeshowswherehe manages the companys booth. A DOL investigator pulls the exemption and charges for back overtime. What was the cause of the charge back? Was it delivering product, working from the office, or working a company booth at trade shows? The office time did it, though each of those issues have been considered to challenge the exemption. Office time is a killer for outside salesmen.14'