NYSDOL Minimum Salary Requirement for Officers of Administration

Dear Colleagues:

Consistent with prior years, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) will be increasing the minimum salary threshold regarding overtime eligibility. The new NYSDOL minimum will be increasing to $1,275 per week ($66,300 per year). 

Key provisions of the law

• Full-time employees who earn less than the applicable minimum weekly rate are considered non-exempt and must earn overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours in a week.
• Part-time employees must earn the applicable minimum, regardless of the number of hours worked, or be converted to a non-exempt position that is overtime eligible.

For Officers of Administration
The NYSDOL increase will go into effect on January 1, 2026, to $1,275 per week ($66,300 per year).

The minimum salary threshold in New York City is expected to increase in 2027; however, the exact amount will be determined based on the regional Consumer Price Index.  The new minimum for 2027 will be determined in October 2026 and will be reevaluated annually.  

What does this mean for Columbia University?
Effective January 1, 2026, for Officers of Administration who earn less than $1,275 per week ($66,300 per year):

What does this mean for full-time Officers of Administration?
Full-time Officers of Administration who are paid below the NYSDOL minimum will be brought up to the new salary minimum, effective January 1, 2026. 

What does this mean for current part-time Officers of Administration?
Effective January 1, 2026, all part-time Officers of Administration who earn less than $1,275 per week must be converted to an hourly officer. Individuals moved into the hourly officer category will be required to submit timesheets on a bi-weekly basis, in accordance with their local department practice for timesheets.

Hourly officers moved to the bi-weekly pay cycle will be paid every other Friday beginning on Friday, January 16, 2026.

What does this mean for new part-time Officers of Administration?
Effective January 1, 2026, newly hired Officers of Administration must either be paid at a rate that is no less than $1,275/week or be hired as an hourly officer. 

Next Steps 

• CUHR Business Partners, CUHR Compensation and CUIMC Payroll colleagues will work directly with those departments who have Officers that are impacted by the NYSDOL changes.
  • CUHR and CUIMC HR will provide detailed lists of the employees affected by this change, and the process to update their employment classification to the departmental administrators for those schools/departments. Schools/departments without any employees impacted by the NYSDOL changes will not receive additional information.
  • Deadlines for submission of changes will be provided along with the employee lists.
• Communication materials, including template letters, will be provided to departmental administrators/department HR to notify the individual employees.
• Communication to impacted employees will be coordinated at the departmental level and delivered by a combination of departmental administrators, department HR and/or managers.
• An NYS 195 form will need to be completed and signed by part-time employees who are either receiving an increase or will be converted to an hourly officer. The signed forms must be submitted with the transaction. Full-time employees will be updated centrally and will not require an NYS 195 form.  

Questions?

• Officers of Administration: Please contact Peter Panycia, Associate Director for Compensation, [email protected] or Lynn Yang, Senior Compensation Analyst, [email protected].
• CUIMC: Please contact Lenny Ruiz, Senior Executive Director, CUIMC Payroll Service Center, [email protected].