I am an assistant manager for a 6 screen cinema. I am paid on an hourly rate. The owner of the theatre recently told me and the manager that theatres are exempt from paying overtime. Is this a fact. both the manager and myself will be putting in at least 60 hours a week in the summer. The cinema is open year around. We are both considered full time employees.

It is, surprisingly, a fact.

I personally think this exemption should have been revamped with the Fair Pay Act in 2004, at least for year round cinemas. But it was not.

http://www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/screen75.asp

You'll find it about halfway down the list of "Other Exemptions".

Yep, legal.

Lobby.

Write to EVERY elected reprentative and tell them what this means to you.

At a minimum, that will mean you state representative, state senator, governor, US House representative, both US Senators and the President.

Get others to do the same.

Thank you for the links and yes I am going to write to the legislature.

I checked the W.A.C it looks like the state code,mirrors the federal (BOGUS!)
Under exemptions to overtime:
DWD 274.04
Exemptions. Except as provided in s. DWD 274.08, each employer subject to ch. DWD 274 shall be exempt from the overtime pay requirements in s. DWD 274.03 and these exemptions shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be consistent with the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the Code of Federal Regulations as amended, relating to the application of that act to all issues of overtime in respect to the following employees:........................
(10) Employees employed in any motion picture theater.

Defintly contact your state representitve who can change things localy than your U.S rep.
JoeC