The legislation is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. While it
makes it seem like private sector employees are getting more rights by being
allowed to trade overtime pay for additional paid time off, several House
Democrats noted that it is really more like the “More Work, Less Pay Act.” They
noted companies can already offer such an arrangement, and passage of
the bill would only pressure workers into accepting comp time instead of
time-and-a-half payment. The added problem is that employers would not be required to grant the comp time - once again leaving workers with the short end of the stick.
Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) summed up the measure:
“It sounds good … but the devil is in the details,” said the congressman. “We can and we must do better for American workers.”
He noted that employers would have a “unilateral veto” in
granting time off using comp time. Meanwhile, leftover hours not used by the
end of the year would essentially serve as an “interest-free loan for
employers.”
Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) agreed:
“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen anti-worker legislation paraded as pro-family legislation,” she said. “Real working families need protections against egregiously long hours.”
She argued that workers should be able to take earned
leave when they need it, saying the legislation “sets up a false choice between
more work and less pay.”
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said the bill is just one more
attempt by companies benefitting from a booming Wall Street to keep even more
of their record profits for themselves:
“Congress should protect workers’ wages and overtime rights, not undermine them,” she said, noting average employee hours are currently dropping. “America is supposed to be about opportunity for all, not just a few.”
Don’t fall for the lies being put forward by supporters
of HR 1406. The House is scheduled to take a final vote on this legislation
tomorrow, and your elected representatives need to hear from you. Tell them you oppose HR 1406 and it’s time for Congress to enact real pro-worker legislation.
