August 16, 2016
Fair Labor Standards Act Impacts on Cooperative Extension - Week 3
State Cooperative Extension Systems are interpreting the higher education “bona fide teacher exemption” as the way in which Extension agents/educators have always functioned with primary responsibility to be educators. In reorganizing the KSU Extension agent position description / job responsibilities, we estimated the time commitment to the work responsibilities. In that process, we determined that 80% of the work responsibilities would be characterized as a teacher’s responsibilities. These responsibilities include planning time, organization of the curriculum, delivering the educational programs through various non-formal educational strategies, evaluating the learning that has taken place, and the professional development necessary to continuously improve in subject matter knowledge and teaching skills.
Overwhelming agreement among Land-grant Universities exists regarding the work of Extension agents/educators as educators. The new FLSA rules have no direct effect on the work or the minimum salary threshold for Extension agents/educators. Tracking overtime is not necessary.
I do want to stress that we have been and will continue to work to bring salaries up for Extension agents. Boards, in consultation with the area/regional director, will continue to make those salary adjustments to move individuals to the most appropriate level. We will continue to encourage that to happen. It has been our long-term objective and not a new requirement as result of the rule change within FLSA.
Additionally, this rule change raises awareness of overtime and creates an opportunity to re-emphasize to our system the importance of work- life satisfaction in managing the responsibilities and expectations of Extension agents. There will be times when long hours are necessary to fulfill important work as a professional. That is part of being a professional. I encourage you to also seek satisfaction both in your work life and in your family life.
At this time, in APLU’s North Central region, nearly all Land-grant Universities have confirmed that their Extension agents/educators are exempt from the new rules of FLSA per the higher education “bona fide teacher” exemption. No Land-grant Universities in the NC region have rejected that exemption. Our Extension agent expectations and job responsibilities are aligned perfectly with other Universities. We believe our Extension agents function in the same capacity as do Extension agents/educators in other respective Extension Services through the Land-grant University system.