Bush Plan May Cut Overtime for Millions
By LEIGH STROPE, AP Labor Writer
WASHINGTON - More than 8 million professionals would lose their overtime pay under a Bush administration proposal to change the types of jobs that must receive more money for extra work, says a study by a union-supported think tank.
The analysis being released Thursday by the Economic Policy Institute is among the first to assess how many workers might be affected by the Labor Department's revisions to the overtime rules, which were proposed in March.
Businesses and labor unions agree that the current Fair Labor Standards Act regulations are confusing and antiquated. But they disagree about how to update them.
The Labor Department estimated that under its proposal, at least 644,000 well-paid, white-collar workers would lose overtime pay for working more than 40 hours a week, while 1.3 million lower-wage workers now exempt from overtime would become eligible, or must receive a raise.
Overall, nearly 22 million workers could be affected, though specific jobs and their status could not be determined, officials said.
But the institute says the department "woefully underestimates" the changes that would occur if the proposal is implemented.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...overtime_pay_4
The taxman giveth, the President taketh away....
Aaron J. Cuffee
As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
- H.L. Mencken