Fluctuating workweek salary should not be docked for absences.

The fluctuating workweek method of pay can be advantageous to both employer and employee. (Under this method, which must be agreed to by both parties, the employee is paid a fixed salary for all hours worked in a week, whether he or she worked more or less than 40 hours a week. The employee, despite working varying hours from week to week, can count on a baseline salary in each paycheck, which makes household budgeting much easier. (The employee receives overtime pay when he or she works more than 40 hours in a week.) The employer (and payroll department) enjoys fewer administrative costs, lower salary expenses, and a steadier cash flow.

There are benefits to using …