Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott Applauds President Biden’s Proposed Rule to Strengthen Overtime Pay Protections

Below is a press release from Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott.

Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Labor released a proposed rule that would raise the salary threshold for salaried workers to automatically qualify for overtime compensation.  According to the Department of Labor, the proposed rule would guarantee overtime pay for most salaried workers earning less than about $55,000 per year, extending overtime protections for 3.6 million Americans.

“Workers in this country deserve to receive fair pay for every hour they work, including ‘time and a half’ for overtime work.  Unfortunately, without adequate overtime pay protections, millions of workers making modest salaries are putting in 50- and 60-hour weeks while being denied overtime protections.

“By increasing the salary threshold to qualify for overtime pay, the Biden-Harris administration’s proposed rule addresses this problem and provides millions more Americans with the right to overtime protections.  This means more dollars in the pockets of workers who are asked to work long hours, enabling them to better provide for themselves and their families.  Moreover, the rule proposes to automatically update the salary threshold every three years so that workers and employers are not forced to wait for federal updates to overtime pay protections in the future.

“This proposed rule is good for workers, good for businesses, and good for our economy. It is the kind of action that further underscores Acting Secretary Julie Su’s leadership and commitment to workers’ economic security.  I applaud the Biden-Harris administration for taking this critical step, and I look forward to continuing our joint effort to ensure that workers get a fair share of the profits they produce.”