lowest income region of the
country (identified as the South) as
well as the retail industry.
Note: The current minimum
salary was set in 2004 at $455 per
week or $23,660 per year. While
the new threshold of $35,568
($684/week) is roughly a 50
percent increase -- and difficult to
absorb for small market daily and
weekly newspapers - it is
considerably more acceptable than
the Obama Administration's final
overtime rule in 2016 that
increased the threshold to $47,476
per year ($913/week). The Obama
rule was rejected in 2017 by a
Federal District Court.
Small newspaper exemption
– Rule does not alter exemption for
small newspapers from the FLSA
overtime and minimum wage
requirements, which applies to
"any employee employed in
connection with the publication of
a weekly, semiweekly, or daily
newspaper with a circulation of less
than four thousand."
Journalist exemption –
Journalists who qualify as "creative
professionals" are exempt. The
DOL has said journalists are
creative professionals if their
"primary duty is to conduct
investigative interviews; analyze or
interpret public events; write
editorial, opinion columns or other
commentary." Journalists are not
likely to be considered creative
professionals if they "rewrite press
releases or write standard recounts
of public information by gathering
facts on routine community events."
Future Salary Updates – The
rule does not implement
automatic increases in the salary
threshold. Note: The Obama
Administration rule would have
established an annual inflation
adjusted increase.
Duties Test – Makes no
changes to the duties tests on
whether an employees can be
considered exempt.
Highly Compensated
Employees – Sets the new threshold
at $107,432, which is reduced from
the proposed level of over $147,000
that many in the business
community noted was too high.
Salary Test – Would allow
nondiscretionary bonuses and
incentive payments (including
commissions) paid at least annually
to satisfy up to 10 percent of the
standard salary test requirement,
with a single pay period to make
any "catch up" payments.
To read the News Media Alliance
press release on the overtime rule,
visit http://bit.ly/31lFtJK.
Sports Editor
The Commercial Review,
one of the top daily community
newspapers in Indiana, is looking
for its next sports editor.
Our sports editor is in charge
of writing, photography and design
for the sports pages. Experience
with photography and page layout/
design are preferred, but not
required.
Sports coverage at The
Commercial Review focuses on two
area high schools, which compete
in football, volleyball, soccer, cross
country, basketball, wrestling,
swimming, gymnastics, baseball,
softball, golf, tennis and track. We
also cover area amateur sports,
including the Portland Rockets
baseball team that has made two
recent trips to the National Amateur
Baseball Federation World Series.
The candidate we are
looking for will have experience
covering sports for their college
newspaper and/or for a professional
publication.
Send resume and three
examples of your work to editor Ray
Cooney at r.cooney@thecr.com.
Reporter
We are looking for the next
journalist who will help us continue
our outstanding tradition of
journalism. The Commercial Review
has developed a reputation as one
of Indiana's best daily newspapers,
having finished first or second for
general excellence in the Hoosier
State Press Association contest
for seven consecutive years. The
candidate we hire will get a variety
of experience, including covering
local government and police, but the
job is much more than just council
meetings and arrest reports.
We offer a well-rounded
journalism experience that will
include feature writing, photography,
column writing, breaking news
and some layout/design. We are
looking for someone who has
shown a passion for journalism
through their efforts with professional
work, internships or their college
newspaper Recent college
graduates are encouraged to apply.
The Commercial Review is an
excellent place to start a career and
can help journalists take the next
step, whatever that may be. Former
employees and interns currently
work for the Associated Press,
Indianapolis Business Journal, St
Louis Business Journal, The Times
of Northwest Indiana, South Bend
Tribune, Indiana University, Ball
State University and The News Sun
(Kendallville).
Send resume and three
examples of your work to editor Ray
Cooney at r.cooney@thecr.com.
Reporter/Storyteller
Seeking reporter/storyteller
for award-winning community
newspapers in central Indiana.
Bachelor's degree in journalism,
communications or related discipline,
or relatable experience. Must be
proficient in AP style, social media,
photography and all aspects of
community journalism.
Duties include telling a story
through a variety of media platforms,
producing quick write-ups on
breaking news along with in-depth
features and investigative pieces,
communicating with a diverse
population, ability to multi-task and
enterprise.
Competitive pay and benefits.
Send cover letter, resume, work
references and clips to Community
Newspaper Holdings, Inc., attn.:
Regional Editor Kathy Linton, 117
E. Washington St., Lebanon, IN
46052 or via email to kathy.linton@
indianamediagroup.com.
Special Sections Editor
KPC Media Group Inc. is
seeking a special sections editor to
coordinate and provide content for
numerous special sections inserted
into daily and weekly newspapers
serving six counties in northeast
Indiana.
The ideal candidate will be
highly organized and forward-
thinking, working closely with
advertising staff and managing a
long-range schedule of editorial
products. The special sections
editor will produce stories and
photos to fill special sections as well
as coordinate with other reporters
and editors in KPC Media Group's
newspaper offices to develop
content. The special sections
editor helps provide content for a B
section shared in multiple weekly
newspapers. The editor may also
be called upon to assist and provide
content for Fort Wayne-area weekly
newspapers and/or the Greater
Fort Wayne Business Weekly
publication.
The ideal candidate will
have a bachelor's degree in
journalism or related degree and
past experience working in print
journalism. Reporting ability, a
strong knowledge of AP style and
photography skills. This position
is based in our Fort Wayne office,
with flexibility to work in other
KPC offices including Kendallville,
Auburn, Angola and Columbia City.
Please send cover letter,
resume and news clips to
sgarbacz@kpcmedia.com
Have a job listing you want to
promote? Contact Shawn Goldsby,
sgoldsby@hspa.com. View listings
at https://www.hspa.com/job-
Employee Sought
Overtime
Continued from Page 1
The Department of Labor (DOL)
published its final rule on Sept.
27, 2019, increasing the
threshold used to determine the
exempt status of white-collar
employees.
Page 11
October 2019
