Both halves required: salary AND duties.
New York's exempt classification has two independent gates — salary threshold AND duties test. Both must be met for an employee to be exempt from overtime. Because NY's salary thresholds are roughly double the federal floor, many workers who would be exempt under federal FLSA are non-exempt under NY law. NY law controls because it's more favorable to the employee.
Two-Gate Exempt Classification
Validates both salary and duties at the moment of classification. Salary alone is necessary but not sufficient. Duties test attestation logged for audit defense.
What the rule does at every classification or reclassification.
The hero card configuration: Block without duties attestation, Critical on misclassification risk audit. Here's what each does at runtime.
Even when salary clears the threshold, exempt classification requires HR attestation that the worker's duties qualify under one of the recognized exemptions (executive, administrative, professional). Without the attestation, the classification fails.
When a role is configured as exempt, Teambridge runs a misclassification risk audit: comparing actual time-tracking data to expected exempt duties. If most of the role's logged time is on non-exempt-qualifying tasks, the role surfaces as a Critical risk.
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Three exemptions, three duties tests, two salary thresholds.
Each exemption has its own duties test. The salary thresholds differ between executive/administrative (regional NY) and professional (federal). Computer professionals can also qualify under federal rules.
Executive exemption — duties
Primary duty must be management of the enterprise or a customarily recognized department. Must regularly direct the work of two or more other employees. Must have authority to hire/fire (or particular weight given to recommendations on hiring, firing, advancement). Most retail or food-service shift supervisors do NOT meet this — they typically perform the same work as their direct reports.
Administrative exemption — duties
Primary duty must be office or non-manual work directly related to management or general business operations of the employer. Must include exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. The 'matters of significance' element is heavily litigated — production work and routine administrative tasks typically don't qualify.
Teambridge enforces both gates and audits the duties side.
Most NY misclassification mistakes happen at the duties side, not the salary side. Salary is easy to verify; duties are subjective. Teambridge audits the duties side using actual time-tracking data.
Regional thresholds applied.
Executive/administrative require regional NY salary thresholds. Professional requires federal threshold. Computer professionals get federal computer-pro test. Salary below threshold blocks the classification.
Logged with classification record.
Salary alone insufficient. HR must attest in writing that the worker's primary duties meet the chosen exemption's duties test. Attestation includes which exemption and rationale. Logged for audit.
Actual task composition vs. exempt criteria.
If the worker performs detailed task tracking, Teambridge analyzes time spent on exempt-qualifying duties vs. non-exempt tasks. Mismatches surface as Critical alerts for HR review.
Triggered by threshold changes.
When NY thresholds update (annually after 2027), existing classifications below the new threshold surface for review. HR can reclassify, request salary adjustment, or document waiver.
Still evaluating? Get a free New York compliance audit.
Send us your existing New York scheduling and pay configuration. Our compliance team returns a written audit within 5 business days — every New York-specific exposure ranked by risk and back-pay liability.