Who falls under the salaried employee exemption in psychology?

The salaried employee exemption typically refers to professionals who are employed by an organization or institution and are compensated with a consistent salary rather than an hourly wage or fee-for-service model.

In the context of psychology, government workers not needing a psychology license can fall under this exemption because they might be employed by public institutions, such as schools or community mental health centers, where they provide psychological services as part of their job duties without requiring licensure specific to clinical practice. Their employment structure and routine salary align with the salaried employee category, distinguishing them from freelance therapists or private practice psychologists, who operate independently and often charge by the hour.

School psychologists working in a district usually do require a certain level of licensure or certification, while private practice psychologists are generally self-employed and thus not covered by the salaried employee exemption.