The U.S. House has passed a bill that would give employees a choice in how they are compensated for working overtime.
The bill, titled the Working Families Flexibility Act and sponsored by Alabama Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, would allow private sector employees to convert accrued overtime pay into paid time off. It would be up to the employer to decide if they want to offer the option and workers would be able to change their minds and receive the pay within a 30-day window.
Roby said the bill is designed to provide flexibility to employees.
"The workforce has changed tremendously over the years, but the laws and policies that govern the workplace have not. Today's working parents need more time flexibility to balance the demands of work and family," she said. "I've always said Congress cannot legislate another hour into the day, but we can update our laws to allow more choice and fairness in how working Americans use their time."
Federal employees already have the option of choosing comp time over overtime pay.
The measure now goes to the Senate, where it is being sponsored by Utah Republican Mike Lee. Yesterday, the White House said the bill had the support of President Trump.
The bill "would help American workers balance the competing demands of family and work by giving them flexibility to earn paid time off--time they can later use for any reason, including family commitments like attending school appointments and caring for a sick child," the White House said in a statement.