Labor chief spars with Republicans on overtime rule

Labor Secretary Tom Perez criticized Republican efforts to roll back a plan by his agency to increase pay for more than 4 million American workers.

“There’s no freedom in making someone work for free,” Perez told reporters Tuesday before a congressional hearing on the overtime rule, which he did not attend.

“Work should be paid.”

The Labor Department strengthened the overtime rule in May, but Republicans are threatening to overturn it through the Congressional Review Act. They claim businesses will respond by cutting jobs and hours.

House Labor Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) said Thursday the overtime rule would “do more harm than good.”

“Thousands of salaried workers will be demoted to hourly status,” said Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.). “These workers will feel as though the’ve taken a step back in their careers when they’re forced to clock their hours, and they’ll no longer have flexible schedules to balance work and family.”

Currently, salaried employees making more than $23,660 per year do not qualify for overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week.

Under the new rule, salaried employees making as much as $47,476 per year would be paid time and a half for overtime hours they work.

The Labor Department estimates this will raise pay for 4.2 million workers.

“When you work extra, you should be paid extra,” Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said Thursday.

“This modest update will increase income for millions of hard-working Americans, result in workers spending more time with their families,” Scott said.

“We’re standing with the father who is missing precious family time, because his company forces him to come in early and stay late for free,” added. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).