The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced its final overtime regulations. When they go into effect Dec. 1, it will mean that most employees earning less than $47,500 per year will be entitled to overtime compensation, regardless of their classification.

Here in Maine, because the state overtime rules are tied directly to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the rules will apply to most employers and employees, including nonprofits.

As the largest membership group in the state dedicated to working with Maine’s nonprofits, the Maine Association of Nonprofits is here as a trusted resource for this challenging transition. Many of our members have expressed moral support for raising the salary threshold, but have operational anxiety because they are worried about how to cover any increased costs.

Employers have various options to comply with the changes in overtime rules, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. To better understand how this could affect your organization, we encourage you to visit our website at nonprofitmaine.org.

You will be able to find information from the National Council of Nonprofits; register for a free special webinar offered by the Department of Labor at 1 p.m. Tuesday; and explore links to other resources to help your organization through this transition. You can also contact us with questions.

A nonprofit’s mission and bottom line may collide as the Department of Labor’s final overtime rule takes effect, but all Mainers will be best served by organizations dealing with the transition sooner than later.

Mary Erin Casale

advocacy and public relations manager, Maine Association of Nonprofits

Portland