§ 548.3 Authorized basic rates.

A rate which meets all of the conditions of § 548.2 and which in addition satisfies all the conditions set forth in one of the following paragraphs will be regarded as being substantially equivalent to the average hourly earnings of the employee, exclusive of overtime premiums, in the particular work over a representative period of time and may be used in computing overtime compensation for purposes of section 7(g)(3) of the Act, and § 548.2:

(a) A rate per hour which is obtained by dividing a monthly or semi-monthly salary by the number of regular working days in each monthly or semi-monthly period and then by the number or hours in the normal or regular workday. Such a rate may be used to compute overtime compensation for all the overtime hours worked by the employee during the monthly or semimonthly period for which the salary is paid.

(b) A rate per hour which is obtained by averaging the earnings, exclusive of payments described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of section 7(e) of the Act, of the employee for all work performed during the workday or any other longer period not exceeding sixteen calendar days for which such average is regularly computed under the agreement or understanding. Such a rate may be used to compute overtime compensation for all the overtime hours worked by the employee during the particular period for which the earnings average is computed.

(c) A rate per hour which is obtained by averaging the earnings, exclusive of payments described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of section 7(e) of the Act, of the employee for each type of work performed during each workweek, or any other longer period not exceeding sixteen calendar days, for which such average is regularly computed under the agreement or understanding. Such a rate may be used to compute overtime compensation, during the particular period for which such average is computed, for all the overtime hours worked by the employee at the type of work for which the rate is obtained.

(d) The rate or rates which may be used under the Act to compute overtime compensation of the employee but excluding the cost of meals where the employer customarily furnishes not more than a single meal per day.

(e) The rate or rates (not less than the rates required by section 6(a) and (b) of the Act) which may be used under the Act to compute overtime compensation of the employee but excluding additional payments in cash or in kind which, if included in the computation of overtime under the Act, would not increase the total compensation of the employee by more than 40 percent of the applicable hourly minimum wage under either section 6(a) of the Act or the state or local law applicable in the jurisdiction in which the employee is employed, whichever is higher, per week on the average for all overtime weeks (in excess of the number of hours applicable under section 7(a) of the Act) in the period for which such additional payments are made.

(f)

(1) A rate per hour for each workweek equal to the average hourly remuneration of the employee for employment during the annual period or the quarterly period immediately preceding the calendar or fiscal quarter year in which such workweek ends, provided:

(i) It is a fact, confirmed by proper records of the employer, that the terms, conditions, and circumstances of employment during such prior period, including weekly hours of work, work assignments and duties, and the basis of remuneration for employment, were not significantly different from the terms, conditions, and circumstances of employment which affect the employee's regular rates of pay during the current quarter year, or differ only because of some change in basic salary or similar nonfluctuating factor for which suitable adjustments have been made in the calculations to accurately reflect such change and

(ii) such average hourly remuneration during the prior period is computed by the method or methods authorized in the following paragraphs.

(2) The average hourly remuneration on which the rate authorized in paragraph (f)(1) of this section is based shall be computed:

(i) By totaling all remuneration for employment during the workweeks ending in the prior period (including all earnings at hourly or piece rates, bonuses, commission or other incentive payments, and other forms of remuneration paid to or on behalf of the employee) except overtime premiums and other payments excluded from the regular rate pursuant to provisions of section 7(e) of the Act, and

(ii) by dividing the amount thus obtained by the number of hours worked in such prior period for which such compensation was paid.

(3) Where it is not practicable for an employer to compute the total remuneration of an employee for employment in the prior period in time to determine obligations under the Act for the current quarter year (as where computation of bonus, commission, or incentive payments cannot be made immediately at the end of the period), a one month grace period may be used. If this one month grace period is used, it will be deemed in compliance with paragraph (f)(1) of this section to use the basic rate authorized therein for the quarter commencing one month after the next preceding four-quarter or quarter-year period (whichever length period is adopted as the base period for the rate determination). Once the grace period method of computation is adopted it must be used for each successive quarter.

[20 FR 5679, Aug. 6, 1955, as amended at 28 FR 11266, Oct. 22, 1963; 31 FR 6769, May 6, 1966; 84 FR 68769, Dec. 16, 2019]