An overtime case filed by Alaskan pilots that was supposed to go before a jury on Oct. 21 has been postponed indefinitely after a ruling in August, according to the Alaska Dispatch.

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2011 by several search and rescue pilots who argued they were owed overtime pay for flight time that exceeded 40 hours per week. Their employer had classified them as exempt learned professionals due to the extended course of instruction in "science and advanced knowledge" that exceeded the education typically given to pilots, according to the newspaper. The flight professionals disagreed, alleging that under the Federal Labor Standards Act, they did not qualify for exempt status.

In the Aug. 26 ruling, the District Court judge ruled in agreement with the pilots, basing her decision on a similar case from 2010 involving two helicopter pilots in New York and New Jersey.

However, in the same ruling, she also determined that pilots over a certain pay grade would not be entitled to overtime compensation because the United States Department of Labor grants overtime exemptions to employees that earn over $100,000 a year.

The case is postponed as both sides review work hours and pay received during the time covered by the lawsuit.

Regardless of the type of work environment, managers need to make sure they are classifying their employees correctly. Maintaining records of employee work hours through time and attendance software can help to prevent lawsuits.

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