WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) this week sponsored the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act (S. 2707) to challenge the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) troubling actions to drastically redefine exemptions to overtime rules.

“DOL’s proposed overtime rules changes will damage both the workforce and employers by imposing costly regulatory burdens on the businesses and nonprofits that can afford it least,” Sen. Moran said. “This legislation will prevent a bad idea from being rushed into effect, and guarantee the voices of Kansans are considered in the conversation about overtime regulations.”

Overview
In 2014, the Obama Administration began an effort to update the rules surrounding federal wage and hour standards. As part of that effort, DOL released a proposal that would more than double the salary threshold under which employees qualify for overtime pay. Concerns have been raised by a broad range of businesses and nonprofits that the department’s proposed rule would result in workers having less flexibility and opportunity for advancement in the workplace. The proposal would also raise costs on small businesses, while doing nothing to streamline a complex and outdated maze of overtime rules.

With the department expected to release a final rule in the coming months, S. 2707 would:

• Prevent the department from finalizing a proposal that will limit opportunities for employees and place significant burdens on job creators;
• Require the department to fully and accurately consider the economic impact of any rule on small businesses, nonprofits, institutions of higher education, and others who will be affected;
• Ensure future changes to the salary threshold accurately reflect the economic realities facing workers and employers by making clear automatic increases are not allowed under current law; and
• Promote transparency and accountability by requiring any changes to the duties tests be made available for public review and comment. 

The full text of the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act can be found here.

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