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$24 Million Payout at HUD

FLSA - $24 Million Payout at HUD

Human Resources Specialist
DLA
Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:23 AM

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This is the golden goose that keeps on giving for law firms and the unions. Nothing new, this has been going on for years at various agencies with HUD just the latest. The goose is loose language in federal law defining FLSA coverage and specifically the administrative exemption that is open to differing interpretations.

I brought this up to OPM in a conference and addressed it in writing in a strongly worded critique, but I've come to the conclusion that an amount like $24 million is really small change in the federal government and not worth worrying about. Do recall though the legislation a few years back with some change to FLSA that covered private industry.

Re: FLSA - $24 Million Payout at HUD

ATSS
FAA
Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:21 PM
If someone is required to travel over a weekend to attend a meeting, training or other job requirement they are entitled to overtime pay.
A lot of agencies, along with their HR people, want to exempt employees so all that is paid is per diem. There
are many other reasons agencies want employees exempt. The golden egg goes to the agency when employees are exempt , they get to work you for no pay.

Re: FLSA - $24 Million Payout at HUD

Management analyst
HUD
Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:47 AM
I don't agree that traveling on a weekend constitutes overtime. I feel that it is my job to go to training, conferences or whatever the travel is for for the benefit of my job. I think it's pure fraud that most people got any overtime pay out of this fiasco. I do acknowledge that some employees probably did work overtime and did not get paid, but don't give every employee a blank check. I am so glad I got out of the Union as I did not want to support this fraud. I think the entity that needs to do something about this is the Inspector General.

flsa 24 million dollars

social worker
vha
Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:47 AM

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someone should investigate the dept of veteran's affairs.

Re: flsa 24 million dollars

Benefis Counselor (retired)
VA
Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:14 AM
"Someone" should do something and that someone is you! Go to your Union with specific examples that smell bad to you and let them look into it. They may find more examples in other areas and identify a pattern. Then the Union lawyers or hired gun lawyers can get into it. Once "someone" starts pulling on a thread, the whole sweater can unravel.

How weird is it that OPM, the inventor and enforcer of the rules, is under the microscope?

$24 million ain't chump change

MJS
Snider and Associates
Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:13 PM

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HUD, along with DOL and OPM etc followed a short lived OPM reg that allowed FLSA classification based on grade. Noone fixed it. DOL has (as of today) GS-3, 4 and 5 employees as FLSA Exempt!! BTW AFGE and NFFE are/have litigated VA.

FLSA Exempt

IT Specialist
Dept of VA
Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:31 PM

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In the VA, I have made inquiries of IT Specialists (nonsupervisory) at many different sites. At these sites, the IT Specialists are mainly doing the same work and are the on the same teams because of standardization, i.e., a project is implemented not only at one VA site, but all sites. Therefore, IT Specialists at these sites are doing basically the same thing. However, I guess it's up to site discretion who is classified as Exempt and who is nonexempt. I am a GS12, nonsupervisor or Team lead, yet are classified as Exempt.

MJS from Snyder and Associates, I would be grateful if you could provide some contacts at either AFGE or NFFE who are/have ligated VA as you stated in your post. Thanks.

FLSA

30+ years
DHUD
Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:52 PM

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This is all good... but I have a big problem with all those bargaining union employees, that are non-paying union members getting the same benefits paying union members receive. And, when you ask those employees about joining the union, they will look at you like you are a Fool!

But let there be something positive that the union is trying to do, they are the first to fill out all the forms, and the first to have their hand out. Most all the telework employees I know are non paying union members. this is a issue. and this is not good.

But as I stated at the beginning, this money is all good!

HUD payout

Management analyst
HUD
Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:42 AM

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We in HUD have heard that employees have received thousands of dollars in payment for supposedly overtime they have worked for the past 6 years. Now I agree that maybe there were a few people who were actually owed some overtime that did not get paid, however, the way this was handed anyone could ask for any amount without any verification. We had an employee in my office that asked and received $4,800 in 'overtime' that she said she worked. We know that she did not work any overtime. I believe a lot of this overtime payout is just pure fraud. Apparently, employees just basically filled out a blank check for whatever they wanted and got it!!! The Inspector General needs to investigate a lot of these payouts.

Payout at HuD

HUD employee
US Dept of HUD
Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:56 PM

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Snider Law Associates were supposed to have another hearing 09/11/08, has anyone heard the outcome?

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