Told by my Supervisor that salary requires “direct reports” under federal law?

I’m an hourly sysadmin/PM who just likes being a worker. I don’t want to be a manager and I don’t need the money (other money sources).

I had a brief conversation with my boss about my “time card” management and me having slightly long lunches and fluctuating my hours up and down around 40. It’s usually pretty chill around here, but I have a feeling they were pressed by HR to chat.

I offered a solution…make me salary. Simplify everything. I’d rather that than micromanaging my hours. They said “no” because there are federal regulations preventing employees without direct subordinates from being salaried.

Is that true? I’ve never heard of that.

I’ve even had jobs where I was salary without people under me, but they insisted that it’s because it wasn’t an entry-level position - I was “tier 2” or “senior level” IT support at the time, which tEcHnIcAlLy counts as being “high enough” to be salary. Like a legal loophole for a company.