Highlights:
Trump’s Justice Department Did Not Defend A Rule From The Obama Administration That Would Make Workers Automatically Eligible For Overtime Pay If They Made Less Than $47,000 A Year. According to CNN, “The Trump administration is wading into the battle over overtime pay. The Justice Department will not defend an Obama-era rule that would make workers automatically eligible for overtime pay if they make less than $47,000 a year. The Trump administration said in a court filing Friday that it wants the right to set that threshold, but will revisit what the number should be. Worker advocates fear the administration will lower the threshold and make fewer workers eligible for OT. It’s the latest development in a long battle over who should make additional money when they put in extra hours.” [CNN, 7/30/17]
2019: Trump’s Labor Department Released A Rule That Said Overtime Coverage Could Be Extended To Salaried Employees Who Make Less Than $35,568, Which Meant That That 3.2 Million Fewer Workers Would Receive New Rights To Overtime. According to the National Employment Law Project, “Today, the Trump Labor Department marched back from that regulation, with a rule that will guarantee overtime coverage only to those salaried employees who make less than $35,568. By the Department’s own analysis, that means that 3.2 million fewer workers will receive new rights to overtime and 5.0 million fewer workers will receive strengthened protections to their overtime rights. And because DOL did not index the threshold to automatically increase over time, this number will only continue to grow each year. The Trump Labor Department’s rule says that if you make more than $35,568 a year, you’re a highly paid executive, administrator, or professional who doesn’t need overtime pay. It will mean that millions more workers can be made to work 50, 60, or even 70 hours a week, missing time with their families and receiving no extra pay at all for their long hours and dedication.” [National Employment Law Project, 9/24/19]