Two court actions beg the question of when you can get overtime and when you can't.
Earlier this week the Supreme Court ruled that drug sales reps can't get overtime pay. Yet drug chain Rite Aid agreed to pay as much as $20.9 million to settle allegations it failed to pay assistant manager and co-managers proper overtime, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Rite Aid denied wrongdoing and said it didn't agree with the plaintiffs, but the settlement suggests employees won their contention that those due overtime weren't really managers, or what's called "exempt" employees. Such folks normally don't qualify for pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours a week.
That wasn't the case with the drug company reps. In a 5-4 opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, the court said drug salespeople, like outside sales reps in other industries, are considered "exempt" from federal overtime-pay requirements. They've had this classification for decades.
Ironically, both decisions are wins for sales folks. In the case of Rite Aid, there's a financial settlement. Recruiters in the drug industry told FINS that, had the Supreme Court sided with the reps, pharma companies probably would have cut more jobs.
And that would have made a workforce already suffering from layoffs even more unhappy.
Sales Buzz
A Winning Loss (FINS)
The Supreme Court's ruling preventing drug sales reps from claiming overtime may ensure they keep their jobs, recruiters said, as companies probably would have had to announce more layoffs otherwise.
J.C. Penney's Next Cuts (Business Insider)
J.C. Penney's standalone shoe sections could disappear, along with their salespeople, as the retailer explores more ways to cut costs.
Walgreen's Europe Bet (WSJ)
Walgreen is spending $6.7 billion to buy 45% of European pharmacy giant Alliance Boots, a bet by the largest U.S. drugstore chain that European expansion will offset declining sales at home.
Apple Raises Pay (WSJ)
The consumer electronics maker is raising wages of retail employees by as much as 25% to reduce poaching of staff by competitors. Apple Retail employs 36,000 full-time staff globally, with two-thirds of that number in the U.S.
CEO Confidence in Economy Waning (Reuters)
CEOs have lowered their forecast for sales, capital spending and hiring for the final six months of 2012, due to increased uncertainty over the economic recovery, ramifications of the European debt crises and year-end government tax and spending plans, according to a recent survey.
Marketing Buzz
Marketers Are Fat (MSNBC)
Marketing and public relations are among the 10 jobs in which employees are most likely to gain weight.
Third Time's a Charm (Ad Age)
San Francisco-based digital agency AKQA has agreed to be acquired by WPP after twice rejecting bids from the media conglomerate.
Nike's Twitter Ban (Marketing Week)
A Nike Twitter campaign featuring tweets sent by brand ambassadors Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere has been banned by the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority because the shoe company didn't make it clear the tweets are part of a marketing campaign.
Another Penney Drops (WSJ)
J.C. Penney will revamp its marketing to convince customers that they are getting a deal without changing its strategy of abandoning sales and coupons for an everyday low pricing approach.
Buzz Around the Office
Mimicking the Dutch Masters (if it's hip, it's here)
Photographer Hendrik Kerstens uses toilet paper, trash bags and bubble wrap to turn his daughter into 17th century portraits.
List of the Day: The Second Interview
You've already clinched the first, Now you need to clinch the second.
1. Reference what you discussed the first time around.
2. Be relaxed, but not too relaxed.
3. Aim to impress everyone you re-meet.
(Source: MoneyWatch)
