With the recent economy, my employer notified us that we must take a week off of work without pay this year. non exempt employees may take a day off here and there or an hour off each week...just as long as they total 40 hours before the year is out. The exempt employees (me) MUST take it off as a full work week. They said it was the law. Is this true? I dont understand why I cant just take a day off each week. it would really hurt my finances to take a whole week wiothout pay. I live paycheck to paycheck. i appreciate any info

The short answer is exempt employees must be paid for the whole week if they work any part of the week, so in order for them to not have to pay you, you have to take a whole week.