1st i'd heard of this, and speaking to some Americans i know...the 1st many people have heard of it.... including those it effects.
Source
I would recomend reading the article from the site itself, as the links in the part copy/pasted havent followed through.Lower pay, longer hours and unpredictable work schedules are some of the changes working families could face under the proposed changes to overtime.
The Bush administration proposal to loosen the rules that determine which employees are entitled to overtime pay could cut paychecks for 8 million workers, possibly including police officers, nurses, store supervisors and many others. Millions would face unpredictable work schedules and reduced pay because of an increased demand for extra hours for which employers would not have to compensate workers, according to an Economic Policy Institute report released June 26. The administration has indicated it wants to issue final regulations before the end of the year.
Under the Bush overtime scheme:
Millions of salaried workers making between $22,101 and $65,000 who now are eligible to receive overtime pay could be reclassified as executives or administrative or professional employees—and would no longer qualify for overtime pay.
Relatively low-salary earners who have supervisory responsibilities or management-related responsibilities would be penalized, as would workers with advanced education or specialized training. Some of the jobs affected could be jobs police officers, nurses, retail managers, insurance claims adjusters and medical therapists hold.
Employees not covered by the new rules also could be hurt: By reclassifying many of their workers as exempt from overtime pay, employers most likely would assign overtime only to them and eliminate overtime for other workers.
Anyone making $65,000 or more a year likely would lose overtime pay, effectively eliminating many middle-income wage earners' much-needed extra pay.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's own estimates, the Bush administration's proposed rule changes could mean between 2.1 million and 3.3 million workers would face unpredictable work schedules because of an increased demand for extra hours for which employers would not have to pay time-and-a-half.
The Bush administration claims its plan would give overtime protections to more workers by allowing anyone who earns $22,100 or less to automatically qualify for overtime pay. But many of those workers, such as fast-food employees, already are covered.
Many working families depend on overtime to pay bills—especially during the current economic recession that has resulted in stagnant and declining wages coupled with increasing costs of health care, prescription drugs, child care and other essential expenses. The Bush proposal would cut into many of those families' paychecks.
The Hours worked affect many things, from Health & Safety to merely spending time with the kids....surely workers should have some sort of protection/compensation, its a little regressive removing what little compensation they do receive.
Those are, admittedly my initial thoughts, as I have only just come across the subject and have only read what it mentions on this one site.
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