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Millions of Americans could see double the pay for working overtime under a newly proposed federal bill.Lawmakers have recently introduced the Double the Wage for Overtime Act, which would increase the rate for hours worked beyond 40 hours to double pay.The proposed bill was would adjust the Fair Labor Standards Act, a law from 1938 that established essential employee protections.
If passed, workers would see overtime pay rise from time-and-a-half to two times a worker’s regular rate for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek.Sen.Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) — who is currently facing public scrutiny for his controversial congressional conduct — said in a statement that as costs increase, workers haven’t seen an overtime rate double in nearly 90 years.
His new proposal would mean that a worker making $25 an hour and working 10 hours overtime a week would make $6,500 more per year.It’s estimated that nearly 13.4 million workers would benefit from the bill, according to the Economic Policy Institute.Sen.
Gallego claims 58% of adults say rising prices have made their financial situation harder; “stronger overtime protection would help workers keep up with the cost of living by boosting their take-home pay.”“Today, Americans are forced to work grueling hours just to provide the basics for their families — with no hope that higher productivity will translate into a decent raise, let alone more time to spend with loved ones,” Rajiv Sicora, United Automobile Workers Legislative Director, said in a press release.If passed, the bill would come into force 180 days after signing.The bill still faces several hurdles, as it is in the early stages of the legislative process.
It must pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives before being sent to President Trump for his signature.Workers who would likely feel the pay increase the most would be those who receive high amounts of overtime, like manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, construction, and other ho...