Overview
- The Department of Labor issued a technical amendment on May 14, 2026 and published it on May 15 that formally reinstates the 2019 salary-level test of $684 per week for white‑collar exemptions.
- The amendment removes the Biden‑era 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold to $844 and then $1,128 and that also would have created automatic triennial updates.
- Federal courts vacated the 2024 rule in late 2024 and the DOL dropped its appeals, a sequence the agency cited when calling the May action a technical correction and making it effective on publication.
- Employers that raised salaries or reclassified workers in response to the 2024 rule must reassess classifications, timekeeping and compensation choices and decide whether to keep prior pay changes.
- The federal reversion does not override higher state salary tests, so multi‑state employers must follow the higher standard where applicable and should monitor any future DOL rulemaking.