Compliance
19 FLSA Exemption Classification Benchmarks for 2024
The current FLSA standard salary threshold for exempt employees is $844 per week ($43,888 annualized) as of July 1, 2024, per the DOL Final Rule published in April 2024. In FY2022, the DOL Wage and Hour Division recovered $274.3 million in back wages for 163,621 workers, with a median recovery of $1,393 per worker per concluded investigation (DOL WHD, FY2022 Annual Report). This catalog aggregates 19 benchmarks across five categories to help payroll and HR compliance teams assess their FLSA exemption classification posture against current enforcement data and regulatory thresholds.
Headline Numbers
$844/week is the new FLSA salary floor for EAP exemptions
Effective July 1, 2024, the DOL raised the standard salary level from $684/week to $844/week ($43,888 annualized). Employees paid below this threshold cannot qualify for executive, administrative, or professional exemptions regardless of duties.
$274.3 million recovered by DOL in a single fiscal year
The Wage and Hour Division recovered $274.3 million for 163,621 workers in FY2022, with FLSA overtime violations accounting for the largest share. Active enforcement means classification errors carry real financial consequences.