Worcester Business Journal

36 Worcester Business Journal • August 29, 2016 www.wbjournal.com Awards W o r ce s t e r B us i n e s s J o u r n a l 2016 B E S T O F B U S I N E S S W o r ce s t e r B us i n e s s J o u r n a l Businesses jumping through new OT hoops comply with the new law is to convert salaried employees to hourly workers; give raises to affected employees to get them above the pay threshold; or to institute new timekeeping measures to ensure newly non-exempt team mem- bers aren't working off the clock. Labor-relations expert Timothy Murphy, a partner at Worcester law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser, said industries with disproportionate numbers of low- er-paid workers like retail and restau- rants and social service agencies will be most impacted. Yet, area business owners – even in those industries – don't envision the new rules don't necessarily meaning major business modifications for compliance. System upgrades Maintaining employee morale might be more difficult in light of the new law, said Dee Sendrowski, human resources director at Fidelity Bank. "The age-old notion that salaried roles carry more prestige is definitely still present," said Sendrowski. "We manage that … by understanding that employee engagement goes far beyond compensation issues, and ensur- ing that we reward and recognize employees in a variety of meaningful ways," she said. "Engaged, happy employ- ees don't spend much time getting hung up on titles or job categorization." The Leominster-based bank, with almost 60 percent of its 155 workers in the non-exempt category, has a new online system through a national pro- vider, she said, making time tracking easier for employees and managers ahead of Dec. 1. Ripple effect Mark Verrochi owns Upton-based Red Barn Coffee Roasters, a specialty retail and wholesale company, along with his wife Lisa. In business for 20 years with 50 employees, he is not too worried about the overtime rule change. With only about 12 salaried staff members, they work about 40 hours anyway, he said. Salaries are in line with productivity expectations. "We don't demand 200-hour work weeks," Verrochi said. This government mandate and others are nonetheless hindering business own- ers, he said, especially owners like him who prefer a system of mutual respect with employees as opposed to micro- management or timeclock punching. "If they work 50 hours, they get time off the following week," Verrochi said. >> Continued from Page 1 Deana Tuefferd, president of Westborough-based CMEA Employers Association, has put on educational sessions throughout the summer to help Central Massachusetts employers figure out how to best adjust to the new over- time-exemption rule. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y

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