Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
Does the federal government have the right to tell local businesses how much to pay their employees?
Fox News reports:
President Obama unveiled a long-awaited plan to drastically expand the number of people eligible for overtime pay, in a move that he said would ensure “hard work is rewarded” — but that critics warn could hurt job growth at a fragile time.
Under the proposal unveiled late Monday, salaried workers who earn nearly $1,000 per week would become eligible for overtime pay.
The rule from the Labor Department would more than double the threshold at which employers can avoid paying overtime, from the current $455 a week to $970 a week by next year. That would mean salaried employees earning less than $50,440 a year would be assured overtime if they work more than 40 hours per week, up from the current $23,660 a year.
“We’ve got to keep making sure hard work is rewarded,” Obama wrote in an op-ed in The Huffington Post. “That’s how America should do business. In this country, a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
Democrats have a gift at saying things that should be happening in the world, but have no business being enforced by the strong arm of government. Yes, hard work should be rewarded. However, it’s not for the government to decide how private employers manage their payroll. Next they will be penalizing small businesses for not following expensive health care mandates. Oh wait….
