Comp-time bill gains Senate GOP support
A comp-time bill is gaining traction in the Senate, according to the Montgomery Advisor. Sponsored by Republican Martha Roby of Alabama, the proposal will allow employees in the private sector to choose whether they would like to receive overtime compensation as payment or compensatory time. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, public sector employees already have the right to choose compensatory time off in place of time-and-a-half pay for hours worked in excess of 40.
The bill, entitled "The Working Families Flexibility Act," was approved by the House of Representatives in May.
Facing strong opposition, it appears unlikely to be signed into law. Nearly all House Democrats opposed the measure, a sentiment which is echoed in the Senate. House Democrats believed employers would use the law to pressure workers into taking comp time instead of overtime pay in order to cut costs. Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa agreed that working parents need flexibility, but he worried the bill may harm families rather than helping them. He said the proposal was an ill-advised approach to a serious problem.
Should the bill become law, employers will need time and attendance software to track employee time, ensuring that overtime hours are noted and compensated accordingly.
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