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FEDERAL LABOR LAW

New regulations could affect athletics department personnel

The NCAA is partnering with higher education organizations, including the National Association of College and University Business Officers, the American Council on Education and the College and University Personnel Association, to seek guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on federally imposed modifications to the Fair Labor Standards Act scheduled to become effective August 23.

The DOL plans to implement significant changes to the overtime-pay exemptions to the law, including a raise in the specified salary level for exemptions -- a $300 per week increase from $155 to $455 (or an increase in annual salary from $8,060 to $23,660) for all employee classifications. That means, for example, that employees earning less than $23,660 would automatically be non-exempt and thus subject to overtime pay regardless of their job descriptions.

The proposed changes also include modifications in the exemptions available for employees who earn more than $23,660, which has caused confusion among athletics department personnel as to how the new exemption regulations will affect some head coaches, assistant coaches and graduate assistants, for example.

STAFF CONTACT: Scott Bearby (sbearby@ncaa.org)

DRUG TESTING

Drug Free Sport information explains program expansion

Effective August 1, 2004, the NCAA's year-round drug testing program is expanding to include Division I-A football and all Division I and Division II sports for which the NCAA sponsors championship competition.

The NCAA conducts year-round drug testing on the campuses of NCAA Division I and Division II member schools and on the campuses of Division III schools that sponsor Division I or Division II sports.

The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, along with NCAA health and safety staff, oversee the NCAA year-round drug-testing program. The National Center for Drug Free Sport is the official administrator for the NCAA testing programs.

Drug Free Sport compiled information to assist NCAA member institutions, athletics administrators and coaches and student-athletes to prepare for NCAA drug testing. That information can be found at www.
drugfreesport.com.

STAFF CONTACT: Mary Wilfert (mwilfert@ncaa.org)