By a vote of 52-47, the Senate approves an amendment
proposed by Sen. Harkin (D-Iowa) that would block portions
of the Labor Department's controversial overtime pay rule
from going into effect. Harkin's amendment, which was
offered on an unrelated export tax bill (S. 1637), would
prohibit giving any force or effect to any portions of DOL's
final rule that would cause any worker who currently is
eligible for overtime to lose that eligibility.
Immediately before approving Harkin's amendment, the Senate
votes 99-0 in favor of an amendment offered by Sen. Gregg
(R-N.H.) that would preserve the current regulatory status
with regard to overtime for 55 occupations or job
classifications that Democrats have said are at risk as a
result of DOL's overtime rule. Gregg says he believes his
amendment is "redundant" in terms of how DOL's final rule
treats these workers. He says he offered it "to make
everybody comfortable with the regulation as issued."
The Labor Department's changes to the Fair Labor Standards
Act regulations revise the salary and duties tests used to
determine who is entitled to overtime under the law. They
are due to take effect Aug. 23.
proposed by Sen. Harkin (D-Iowa) that would block portions
of the Labor Department's controversial overtime pay rule
from going into effect. Harkin's amendment, which was
offered on an unrelated export tax bill (S. 1637), would
prohibit giving any force or effect to any portions of DOL's
final rule that would cause any worker who currently is
eligible for overtime to lose that eligibility.
Immediately before approving Harkin's amendment, the Senate
votes 99-0 in favor of an amendment offered by Sen. Gregg
(R-N.H.) that would preserve the current regulatory status
with regard to overtime for 55 occupations or job
classifications that Democrats have said are at risk as a
result of DOL's overtime rule. Gregg says he believes his
amendment is "redundant" in terms of how DOL's final rule
treats these workers. He says he offered it "to make
everybody comfortable with the regulation as issued."
The Labor Department's changes to the Fair Labor Standards
Act regulations revise the salary and duties tests used to
determine who is entitled to overtime under the law. They
are due to take effect Aug. 23.