I need help with a frustating problem.

I am a workaholic paralegal who LOVES being devoted to my job. However, I was approached by our HR manager three weeks ago and informed my job was being changed from exempt to non-exempt. I wasn't surprised, as this has been my only exempt paralegal job, but I was fine with it.

The fly comes into the ointment when I am told that because I work so many OT hours (I do trial prep) the firm was not prepared to pay me what OT would be due to me if they were to consider my salary my base pay and pay me OT based on this. The HR manager said that instead they were going to average my monthly overtime and lower my hourly wage to get me at me my arranged yearly income plus a bit more.

I made 60 k salaried (which is very low for my field with my 12 years experience) but this was fine. I like working hard for attorneys who don't scream. HOWEVER, having my wage adjusted down to what I made working at the Gap in college is a bit vexing. I feel like I am being punished for working hard. They proposed lowering my hourly wage down to 21.50 from the 29.00 it would be if you you divided the 60 k by the hours worked yearly.

This seems fishy. Can anyone please help? I've given up so much of my life to the legal world, I just want to be treated fairly. Can you tell me if this practice is illegal and if so - what code/statute is it violating and what can I do to remedy this? I don't want to be fired. I just want to come to my smelly office and not emerge until the crack of dawn and be paid (somewhat) fairly for it.

Thanks!

Nothing you have said sounds illegal. Some times the only viable solution is to find a different job elsewhere.

I actually worked for an employer that did the same thing on a much bigger scale. It is definitely legal. The spin we put on it then, and I would recommend for you, is that you are no worse off than you were before. You are still making $60k and still working over 40 hours a week. Nothing changed but the math. Yes, it would be nice to finally be paid more for the long hours but you weren't in the first place.