Private-sector workers who want the freedom to balance work with personal obligations would be able to choose between paid time off or cash wages for overtime hours worked under legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL) that cleared the House on Tuesday.
State and local government employees have been able to choose paid time off as compensation for working overtime hours since 1985 under the Fair Labor Standards Act, but the federal government prohibits private-sector workers from receiving that same benefit.
The Working Families Flexibility Act, H.R. 1180, would reform labor rules to bring more flexibility to employers and employees. The legislation would allow employers to offer employees a choice between cash wages and comp time in lieu of overtime hours, while retaining existing workforce protections like the 40-hour workweek.
“The workforce has changed tremendously over the years, but our laws and policies that govern the workplace haven’t kept up,” Roby said. “Today’s working parents need more time flexibility to balance the demands of work and family. I’ve always said Congress cannot legislate another hour into the day, but we can update our laws to allow more choice and fairness in how working Americans use their time.”
Indeed, 85 percent of employees say workplace flexibility is important when considering a new job.
It is becoming increasingly common to find young people balancing full-time work while pursuing a college degree and single parents juggling the demands of work while raising children. Further, more American families consist of two full-time working parents today than in decades past.
U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) said it’s only fair that Congress modernize overtime compensation and provide employees with options to best meet their needs. “As a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I am proud to support this common sense measure, and further provide individuals and families the workplace flexibility they deserve,” Thompson said.
Speaking in support of the bill, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said it would benefit both families and employers. “Business owners know that flexibility helps build a happier and more productive workforce,” he said.
H.R. 1180 would require the employer and employee to complete a written agreement to use accrued paid time off and forcing employees to choose comp time over cash payments through coercion or intimidation would be prohibited. Employees would be allowed to accrue up to 160 hours of comp time each year.
“By passing the Working Families Flexibility Act, we have taken an important step toward bringing our workforce laws into the 21st Century,” said U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL), chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s subcommittee on Workforce Protections. “Working families today face a wide range of challenges and demands, and they deserve the same freedoms and choices that workers in the public sector already have.”