Can Oil Field Workers be Paid a Daily Salary and Still be Exempt from Overtime?
Oilfield Worker Salary: Clarifying the Law Introduction The last two years have brought uncertainty to the issue of whether Oilfield Worker Salary paid on a day-rate compensation plan may be properly classified as exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Exempt vs. Non-Exempt: Overtime Pay for Oilfield Worker Salary In...
If you do business in the oil and gas industry, you know that lawsuits are inevitable. The uncertainties of drilling success, coupled with volatile markets and prices, often spawn disputes that end up with at least the threat of litigation. While you can’t entirely protect your business from lawsuits,...
Esg Finance: An Enterprise-Wide Checklist
In the past decade, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) finance has grown tremendously and is no longer just a passing option for industries looking to redirect capital. While they might not seem to offer obvious opportunities to the petroleum energy market, ESG programs and products are quickly becoming an expectation...
MAKING THE GRADE Navigating Academic Challenges in Trying Times
For parents and caregivers striving for children to get a great education, these are challenging times. Continuously weighing the health risks of in-person learning against the balancing act of distance learning is a daunting task. Throw in the likelihood of learning loss from COVID slide and queue the pounding...
COVID-19 Vaccine Policies For Oil and Gas Employers
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and 2021 has presented numerous challenges for employers attempting to balance employee and customer safety and business operations. With the introduction of three vaccines that could greatly reduce or halt COVID-19 cases, the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be approaching....
Oil and Gas and the Economy in 2021
What began last March as a brief relocation from the office to a work-at-home setting eventually transitioned into something much more. The weeks bled into months, ultimately extending over the course of the year for many folks. The brake on economic activity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic sapped more...
Biting the Hand that Feeds You: Virtue Signaling Against Oil and Gas
The North Face is inviting scorn and maybe a little coal into their petroleum-based stockings this Christmas. Why does a performance nylon apparel brand want to cut off their nose to spite their face? The North Face, a high-end outdoor brand, made the latest move in the never-ending quest to...
Protecting Against Overtime Lawsuits During the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 has the potential to create a variety of wage and hour complications and may put employers at risk for violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This is especially true for oil and gas companies, given the industry’s unique reliance upon both skilled field workers and knowledgeable...
Proposed DOL Guidance Broadens Definition of Independent Contractors for Oil and Gas Employers
The DOL’s Proposed Rule: Broadening Workers’ Classification as Independent Contractors in the Oil and Gas Industry Introduction Independent contractors have long been a mainstay in the oil and gas industry. Given the ebbs and flows of the industry, contractors allow for much-needed flexibility. But, using contractors can sometimes create risk, particularly...
Entergy
Employee engagement is an issue for many industries that rely on frontline workers. But energy and utility companies face unique challenges when it comes to connecting with workers. A widening skills gap and a growing labor shortage are adding up to a disconnected workforce. In fact, only 52% of utility...