U.S. Labor Department Proposes Overtime Changes

ByJohn S. McClenahen Beginning March 31 companies can formally comment on proposed changes to the overtime regulations of the Federal Labor Standards Act. The department is proposing to raise the pay level below which workers would automatically qualify for overtime after working 40 hours a week. The current pay level is $155 a week and the proposed change would raise that to $425 per week. The effect would be to add as many as 1.3 million low-wage workers to the ranks of those eligible for overtime. The regulations also would revise the list of job requirements that exempt workers from overtime pay.