What is the implication of paying someone a salary regarding overtime regulations?

When someone is paid a salary, this typically indicates that they may be classified as an exempt employee under overtime regulations. Exempt employees are not entitled to receive overtime pay for hours worked over the standard 40 hours per week, provided they meet certain criteria set by federal and state labor laws. This classification often applies to workers in managerial, professional, or administrative roles, who have greater responsibilities and autonomy in their jobs.

The fundamental idea behind paying a salary is that the employee is being compensated for the job as a whole rather than for the specific hours worked. Since the expectation is that these employees will complete their work duties regardless of the number of hours worked in a week, they do not receive additional pay for overtime. This is quite distinct from hourly workers, who must be compensated at a higher rate for hours worked beyond the typical full-time schedule.