Overtime pay for everyone..and 40 acres....and a pony.

[Saniflush]

In a long list of bad shit here is another one.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/millions-more-americans-to-be-eligible-for-overtime-pay/ar-BBtb23Q

Moving to fatten low- and middle-income paychecks that have languished for years, the Obama administration on Tuesday unveiled a long-awaited rule that will make millions of Americans newly eligible for overtime pay.

While some businesses welcome the measure, many say it will simply force them to reshuffle salaries to get around the regulation. Others fear it will mean demoting white-collar workers and altering workplace cultures.

The rule, slated to be formally released Wednesday, would essentially double the threshold at which executive, administrative and professional employees are exempt from overtime pay to $47,476 from the current $23,660. That’s expected to make 4.2 million additional workers eligible to receive time-and-a-half wages for each hour they put in beyond 40 a week.

Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said the salary threshold was originally intended to exempt high-paid executives but instead has denied overtime to low-level retail supervisors and entry-level office workers who often toil 50 to 70 hours a week.

“Too few people are getting the overtime that (federal law) intended,” he told reporters. “It’s simply not right.”

Vice President Biden called the change a critical part of the White House’s goal of “restoring and expanding access to the middle class. The middle class is getting clobbered.”

The rule represents the administration's most prominent initiative to lift middle-class wages. President Obama's call to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to more than $10 has been stymied by Republicans in Congress. The share of full-time workers who qualify for overtime has fallen from 62% in 1975 to 7% today, according to the administration. The new rule, which would take effect Dec. 1,  would allow 35% of workers to qualify.

Many companies expect to convert salaried workers to hourly employees who will need to punch a clock and track their hours, hurting morale in some cases. Some will likely maintain the status of salaried employees, but will still have to monitor their hours and net the extra pay for logging more than 40. Others will lift workers' base pay to the new threshold to avoid paying overtime.

Many small businesses can’t absorb the added cost and will instruct employees to work no more than 40 hours a week, bringing on part-time workers to pick up the slack, says Dan Bosch, head of regulatory policy for the National Federation of Independent Business. Perez said that will still be a plus because it will restore leisure time to overworked employees.

Yet some businesses plan to cut employees' base pay to offset the overtime, effectively skirting the requirement.

“The Obama rule puts a huge cost and regulatory burden on employers, who will face pressure to cut back on benefits and full-time employees,” says Trey Kovacs, policy analyst with the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

But U.S. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said it's “long overdue,” adding that “millions of employees are working long hours without fair compensation.”

The administration, which initially proposed the rule last summer, did make concessions in response to the 270,000 public comments it received. It lowered the new salary threshold to $47,476 from the proposed $50,544.

And it’s allowing employers to apply bonuses and incentive payments to up to 10% of the new salary threshold. The threshold also will be updated every three years instead of annually, rising to $51,000 on Jan. 1, 2020.

Perez said the new rule also clarifies the types of duties white-collar employees must perform to be exempt. That potentially makes eligible an additional 8.9 million workers now misclassified, he said, such as certain administrative employees who don’t supervise anyone.

[Ogre]

Man, it would really suck to be a Production Manager in this environment. 

[Kaos]

Man, it would really suck to be a Production Manager in this environment.

It's going to cost jobs for me.  I'm replacing several of my full time people with part time.  They will lose be benefits.

Thanks Obama.  Dumbass. 

It's not that I'm greedy and don't want to pay them more.  I do.  I just can't.  Forcing me to do so only makes me less able to do so. 

[Ogre]

The rule, slated to be formally released Wednesday, would essentially double the threshold at which executive, administrative and professional employees are exempt from overtime pay to $47,476 from the current $23,660.

I chuckled when I read this.  In March I gave my assistant a raise and moved her pay from hourly to salary.  Her new salary?  $48k.

[GH2001]

He always likes to lump the middle class verbiage into his rhetoric to garner support. But rarely does any economic plan by him or anyone else ever help the middle class. Total bs and more class warfare.

[WiregrassTiger]

The message that govt has sent to small and medium sized business for decades: Know your place and you best not try to grow. Or, you'll pay dearly.

[Saniflush]

Man, it would really suck to be a Production Manager in this environment.

Problem is not with the people I have on the floor actually making things.  They are already eligible for overtime as non exempt employees.  The problem comes in with people in the office who are exempt employees.  Those are the ones who are going to fuck the company up. 

Why the fuck can't gubment stay out of everyone else's bidness?

[GH2001]

Problem is not with the people I have on the floor actually making things.  They are already eligible for overtime as non exempt employees.  The problem comes in with people in the office who are exempt employees.  Those are the ones who are going to fuck the company up. 

Why the fuck can't gubment stay out of everyone else's bidness?

This was done with the wave of a wand, but....

Checks and balances. Just sayin.

[wesfau2]

This was done with the wave of a wand, but....

Checks and balances. Just sayin.

And it can be challenged in the judicial system.

Checks and balances...just sayin.

[AUTailgatingRules]

And it can be challenged in the judicial system.

Checks and balances...just sayin.

Name the last time something given by the government has then been taken back away?

just sayin.

[Buzz Killington]

Name the last time something given by the government has then been taken back away?

just sayin.

Hopefully Obamacare will be the first.

[AUTailgatingRules]

Hopefully Obamacare will be the first.

Only if you vote TRUMP

[wesfau2]

Name the last time something given by the government has then been taken back away?

just sayin.

Well...someone will have to challenge it.  Beyond a Facebook post and Snapchat tantrum.

[GH2001]

And it can be challenged in the judicial system.

Checks and balances...just sayin.

But until then, it's effective.

And autr is right. They never taketh away. Just like aca which was a total farce. They must have threatened to rape Roberts entire family for him to come up with that cockamamie redefine of the legislation as a tax. And when your favorite candidate puts activist judges on the Scotus those checks and balances will be essentially non existent.

[wesfau2]

But until then, it's effective.

And autr is right. They never taketh away. Just like aca which was a total farce. They must have threatened to rape Roberts entire family for him to come up with that cockamamie redefine of the legislation as a tax.

So "they" have a responsibility to right this perceived wrong?  Where are you, the aggrieved?  Litigate, challenge, defend your rights!

[Snaggletiger]

So "they" have a responsibility to right this perceived wrong?  Where are you, the aggrieved?  Litigate, challenge, defend your rights!

Start a Twitter Holy War.

[GH2001]

So "they" have a responsibility to right this perceived wrong?  Where are you, the aggrieved?  Litigate, challenge, defend your rights!

Meaning govt. They only add not remove. Ever seen a govt program or dept go away? Very rare.

They wouldn't need to take away if they wouldn't add the bullshit in the first place. Do you really think this crap is a good idea? The people that decide this stuff have absolutely 0 business sense. Zero. Or if they do they just don't give a shit - all in the name of social justice. When the fuck did 23-45k become the entire middle class in 2016?

[wesfau2]

Meaning govt. They only add not remove. Ever seen a govt program or dept go away? Very rare.

They wouldn't need to take away if they wouldn't add the bullshit in the first place. Do you really think this crap is a good idea? The people that decide this stuff have absolutely 0 business sense. Zero. Or if they do they just don't give a shit - all in the name of social justice. When the fuck did 23-45k become the entire middle class in 2016?

The judiciary can't unilaterally take up a cause.  A citizen, adversely impacted presumably, must bring suit.

[Kaos]

And it can be challenged in the judicial system.

Checks and balances...just sayin.

Yeah.  Good luck with that.

 

[Kaos]

So "they" have a responsibility to right this perceived wrong?  Where are you, the aggrieved?  Litigate, challenge, defend your rights!

Jesus Christ.

I was kidding before. But you really do live on Fantasy Island.