The Department of Labor (DOL) exceeded its authority with its amended overtime rule. That's the conclusion reached by the same Texas federal judge who stayed the Obama-era rule just before it took effect in 2016. The rule introduced a new minimum salary level for the overtime exemption that was more than double the current minimum. The court found that the rule made overtime status depend predominantly on salary level and was inconsistent with the language of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which refers only to job duties. In the wake of this ruling, the DOL has withdrawn its Fifth Circuit appeal of the judge's earlier injunction, signaling that the agency intends to abandon the rule. The DOL has published an RFI for new proposed regulations, with the comment period ending September 25.