Administration Stiffs Workers on Overtime

The Bush administration announced yesterday it would scale back plans to eliminate overtime pay for nearly 8 million Americans. But the revised rules continue to give corporations the upper hand in denying workers due compensation for their labor. As Sen. Tom Harkin described the new regulations yesterday, "You put lipstick on a pig, but guess what? It's still a pig."

• The new regulations deny overtime pay to important segments of the workforce. The new rules deny workers such as pharmacists, administrative assistants and chefs from receiving overtime pay, as well as those who fit into broader, less defined categories such as "team leader." Under these regulations, employers will be free to redefine workers' roles to avoid paying overtime.
• The new regulations continue to deny overtime guarantees to millions of working families. The new rules ensure overtime to those earning up to $23,600 – an improvement from earlier rules but remarkably low by any reasonable standard. The Bush administration refuses to say what will happen to overtime protections for millions of workers earning between $23,600 and $100,000 per year.
• The Bush administration is shifting hard earned money from workers to already wealthy corporate interests. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao claimed yesterday, "our intent is always to strengthen overtime protections." If the Bush administration is serious about strengthening overtime protections, it should support legislation in Congress to guarantee workers' rights and eliminate any cuts in overtime pay.

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