Michael Hadaway v. Dolgencorp, Inc.

**Store Manager's Overtime Pay Case Sent Back to Lower Court** Michael Hadaway worked as a store manager for Dollar General (Dolgencorp, Inc.) and sued the company claiming he was owed overtime pay. Hadaway argued that despite his manager title, his main job duties were not actually management tasks, which would mean he should have received overtime pay for working more than 40 hours per week under federal wage laws. A lower court initially ruled in favor of Dollar General, deciding the case without a trial. However, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed and sent the case back to the lower court for another look. The appeals court said the lower court needed to reconsider its decision based on a recent ruling in another similar case that clarified how to determine whether store managers' primary duties are truly managerial. This case matters for workers because it shows that having a "manager" job title doesn't automatically disqualify you from overtime pay. Courts must look at what you actually do day-to-day, not just your title. If your primary duties involve tasks like stocking shelves, running the register, or other non-management work, you may still be entitled to overtime pay even if you're called a manager.