Your March 30 editorial on compensatory time makes the comp-time bill seem like a much better deal than it is.
There is nothing in the bill that will allow employees to get the time off that they are looking for. Even if employee and employer agree to using comp time instead of overtime pay, the time off has to be “convenient” for the employer. That means you may not get the time off you need for whatever appointment or event you have. You are totally at the employer’s mercy.
Also, in the Senate bill now in Congress, the Republican authors are trying to remove overtime pay completely if you work more than 40 hours in one week. They are trying to change it to overtime only after 80 hours in a two-week period. If you do construction work or some other weather-controlled work and you have a couple rain days resulting in only 24 hours one week, your employer could make you work 56 hours the next without a penny in overtime pay or a minute of comp time.
One of two things can happen if comp time is used. Either your work will not get done and you will do double work for straight-time pay when you get back–or some-one else will have to do your job and theirs, also at straight-time pay. Either way, employers save money while workers lose money. That is why this bill is being pushed by business leaders, CEOs and the Republican Congress.
Please contact your senators and tell them to vote down this dangerous bill.
