(a) Applicability. Performing different work or duties for a temporary period of time may affect an employee's exemption status.

(1) When applicable. This section applies only when an employee must perform work or duties that are not consistent with the employee's primary duties for an extended period, that is, for more than 30 consecutive calendar days—the “30-day test.” The period of performing different work or duties may or may not involve a different geographic duty location. The exemption status of an employee temporarily performing different work or duties must be determined as described in this section.

(2) When not applicable. This section does not apply when an employee is detailed to an identical additional position as the employee's position or to a position at the same level with the same basic duties and exemption status as the employee's position.

(b) An agency generally may not change an employee's exemption status based on a snapshot of the employee's duties during a particular week, unless the week involves emergency work under paragraph (f) of this section. An agency must:

(1) Assess an employee's temporary work or duties over a reasonable period of time (the 30-day test), compare them with the primary duties upon which the employee's exemption status is based, and determine the employee's exemption status as described in §§ 551.203 through 551.210; and

(2) Ensure that it does not avoid reassessing, and perhaps changing, an employee's exemption status by breaking up periods of temporary work or duties with periods of having the employee perform his or her regular work or duties. For example, an agency may not assign exempt employees to perform nonexempt work or duties for 29 consecutive calendar days, return them to their exempt duties for two or three days, then assign them again to perform nonexempt work for another 29 days.

(c) Aggregation of more than 30 nonconsecutive calendar days over an extended period does not meet the 30-day test and may not be used to change an employee's exemption status. For example, if an exempt employee performs nonexempt duties 4 days in one week, 2 days in the following week, and so on over a period of weeks or months, the days of nonexempt work may not be aggregated for the purpose of changing the employee's exemption status.

(d) Effect on nonexempt employees. (1) A nonexempt employee who must temporarily perform work or duties that are different from the employee's primary duties remains nonexempt for the entire period of temporary work or duties unless both of the following conditions are met:

(i) The period of temporary work or duties exceeds 30 consecutive calendar days; and

(ii) The employee's primary duties for the period of temporary work are exempt as defined in this part.

(2) If a nonexempt employee becomes exempt under the criteria in paragraph (d)(1) of this section:

(i) The employee must be considered exempt for the entire period of temporary work or duties; and

(ii) If the employee received FLSA overtime pay for work performed during the first 30 calendar days of the temporary work or duties, the agency must recalculate the employee's total pay retroactive to the beginning of that period because the employee is no longer entitled to the FLSA overtime pay received but may be owed title 5 overtime pay, or its equivalent.

(e) Effect on exempt employees. (1) An exempt employee who must temporarily perform work or duties that are different from the employee's primary duties remains exempt for the entire period of temporary work or duties unless both of the following conditions are met:

(i) The period of temporary work or duties exceeds 30 consecutive calendar days; and

(ii) The employee's primary duties for the period of temporary work are not exempt as defined in this part.

(2) If an exempt employee becomes nonexempt under the criteria in paragraph (e)(1) of this section:

(i) The employee must be considered nonexempt for the entire period of temporary work or duties; and

(ii) If the employee received title 5 overtime pay, or its equivalent, for work performed during the first 30 consecutive calendar days of the temporary work or duties, the agency must recalculate the employee's total pay retroactive to the beginning of that period because the employee may no longer be entitled to some or all of the title 5, or equivalent, overtime pay received but may be owed FLSA overtime pay.

(f) Emergency situation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, and regardless of an employee's grade or equivalent level, the agency may determine that an emergency situation exists that directly threatens human life or safety, serious damage to property, or serious disruption to the operations of an activity, and there is no recourse other than to assign qualified employees to temporarily perform work or duties in connection with the emergency. In such a designated emergency:

(1) Nonexempt employee. A nonexempt employee remains nonexempt whether the employee performs nonexempt work or exempt work during the emergency; and

(2) Exempt employee. The exemption status of an exempt employee must be determined on a workweek basis. The exemption status determination of exempt employees will result in the employee either remaining exempt or becoming nonexempt for that workweek, as described in paragraphs (f)(2)(i) and (f)(2)(ii) of this section.

(i) Remain exempt. An exempt employee remains exempt for any workweek in which the employee's primary duties for the period of emergency work are exempt as defined in this part.

(ii) Become nonexempt. An exempt employee becomes nonexempt for any workweek in which the employee's primary duties for the period of emergency work are nonexempt as defined in this part.