Exempt status has little to do with salary (minimum salary for an exempt employee is $35,568). In general, the only requirements are... salaried (vs hourly), and perform any of executive, administrative, or professional duties. So, darn near everybody on a salary gets lumped into the exempt category.
More details here... https://www.thebalancecareers.com/exempt-and-a-non-exempt-em...
American work culture seems very strange.
You have a conversation about it, adult to adult. Why’s that so hard to do?
> sure they wouldn’t terminate you, that’d be too expensive for a skilled employee of which there is rumored to be a great shortage
Yes that’s your leverage in a deal.
> American work culture seems very strange.
Individuals being able to work out what balance of work and compensation works for them by talking to their employer is strange?
The question was how is it legal - it’s legal because the government lets highly paid professionals with leverage manage their life themselves.
So, the smart thing to do is to make an example out of anyone who pushes back.
Tech workers have no solidarity, so management is very successful at divide and conquer tactics.