Overtime & Compensatory Time for FLSA Exempt Employees

Unlike hourly-paid (FLSA Non-Exempt) employees, FLSA Exempt employees are accountable and compensated for their performance outcomes, rather than for time worked on an hour-for-hour basis. Employees whose positions are classified as FLSA Exempt do not earn compensatory time for working more than 40 hours in a work week.

Compensatory time is not to be accumulated, tracked, used, or paid out for FLSA Exempt employees, except if specifically mandated by a State and/or UNC System policy, such as during a pandemic or communicable disease emergency.

Most FLSA Exempt employees typically put in some time and effort beyond the University’s standard business hours in order to fulfill the generally expected professional responsibilities of their positions. The University recognizes there may be situations where a work unit experiences an extraordinary and non-routine circumstance where an FLSA Exempt employee must commit exceptional time and effort beyond the employee’s regular work schedule. In such situations, managers may on a non-routine basis extend the opportunity for scheduling flexibility to account for these circumstances. Scheduling flexibility in such circumstances is not guaranteed and has no specific time or hour implications, entitlements, or tracking.

Full-time FLSA Exempt Clinical Support Service (CSS) employees, including Senior Supervisory and Executive Management, are generally expected to work at least 40 hours each week and as many hours as necessary to complete their jobs, however CSS policy does recognize the existence of unusual circumstances in which the workload of CSS Exempt employees may be especially burdensome. In certain circumstances, these CSS employees may become eligible for compensatory time in situations only when they are unable to fulfill the tasks within normal business hours. For examples of these circumstances and additional information on this policy, see the CSS Employee Handbook.