Witnesses included:
- Jared Bernstein, Ph.D, senior fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Alexander J. Passantino , partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP Washington, D.C.
- Michael Rounds, associate vice provost for Human Resource Management, University of Kansas
- Tina Sharby , chief human resources officer, Easter Seals, testifying on behalf of the Society for Human Resource Management
Committee ranking member Robert “Bobby” Scott, D-Va., said, “The overtime protections in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 were intended to curb overwork and help create jobs by encouraging employers to hire more workers, rather than overworking a few. But the overtime salary threshold has been allowed to erode so badly that today a worker earning less than the poverty threshold for a family of four still makes too much to automatically qualify for overtime pay… the Department of Labor took a long-overdue step toward addressing the income inequality crisis facing our nation by restoring and strengthening overtime protections for millions of Americans.”
In contrast, Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Tim Walberg , R-Mich., explained, “Because of this rule, many Americans will soon realize they have fewer jobs prospects, less flexibility in the workplace and fewer opportunities to climb the economic ladder. Thousands of salaried workers will be demoted to hourly status. These workers will feel as though they’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. With this shift, workers will have fewer opportunities for on-the-job-training and career advancement … The bottom line is that this rule hurts the very individuals the administration claims it will help.”
To learn more about DOL’s overtime rule, ASA invites all interested parties to participate in an interactive webinar on June 15. The webinar will begin at 1 p.m. EST and will include time for questions. For more information or to register for the webinar, please RSVP to Holly Miller in ASA’s Washington, D.C., office at [email protected].
The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and collision professionals. ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry.
ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. To take advantage of the many benefits of membership in ASA, please visit www.ASAshop.org or call (817) 514-2900.
For additional information about ASA, including past media releases, go to www.ASAshop.org, or visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com.
