In the Heras v. Metro. Learning Inst. case, Sandra Heras worked as a recruiter for Metropolitan Learning Institute (MLI), a non-profit organization. Her job involved recruiting students for MLI by approaching individuals on the street and convincing them to enroll. Her work hours were typically from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but she often worked beyond that without receiving overtime pay.
In mid-April 2019, MLI started giving Heras a one-hour lunch break but continued to pay her as if she worked exactly 40 hours per week, even though she regularly worked more. Heras alleged that MLI intentionally misreported her hours to avoid paying overtime and did not provide wage statements or notices.
MLI argued that Heras’ role as a recruiter fell under the “outside sales” exemption of the FLSA and sought to dismiss her FLSA overtime claim. However, the court denied their motion, and the case was referred.
Key lessons from this case:
- This case highlights the importance of accurately classifying employees under relevant labor laws in order to understand exemptions and entitlements.
- Employers must maintain and provide accurate and complete wage statements or wage notices to employees.
- Timely and transparent communication of employees’ wages, hours worked, and overtime pay is crucial for compliance and maintaining employee trust.
If you want to know more about overtime regulations, read our guide on New York Overtime Laws.
