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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.
OPA News Release: [04/24/2004]
Contact Name: Pamela
Groover
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Speaks to F.O.P.
State Presidents
Louisville, Ky.—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao spoke
today at the Fraternal Order of Police’s (F.O.P.) State Presidents’
meeting where National FOP President Chuck Canterbury and all the FOP State
Presidents thanked the Secretary and the Labor Department for the new overtime
rules that strengthen and protect overtime rights for police and other first
responders. The Department's new overtime rules were announced on Tuesday,
April 20, 2004.
“Thanks to the constructive engagement of the Fraternal Order of
Police in the rulemaking process, the right to overtime for police is clearly
protected and strengthened in the new rules the Department announced this
week,” said Secretary Chao. “For the first time in history the
overtime rights of your brothers and sisters on the front lines-firefighters,
paramedics, emergency medical technicians and public safety employees-are also
fully protected,” said Chao.
To provide even stronger overtime protection for workers, the
Department's FairPay overtime security rules add new sections that clearly
state that “hourly” workers, police officers, fire fighters,
paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and licensed practical nurses are
entitled to overtime protection.
The new rules expand the number of workers eligible for overtime by
nearly tripling the salary threshold. Under the 50-year-old regulations, only
workers earning less than $8,060 annually were guaranteed overtime. Under the
new rules, workers earning $23,660 or less are guaranteed overtime. This
strengthens overtime protection for 6.7 million low-wage salaried workers,
including 1.3 million salaried white collar workers who were not entitled to
overtime pay under the existing regulations. These workers will gain up to $375
million in additional earnings every year.
The Department’s new FairPay rule will take effect in 120 days. It
will be published in the Federal Register and a text version is available
online at www.dol.gov/fairpay . For further information
about the Fair Labor Standards Act, visit the Department’s Wage and Hour
Division web page at www.dol.gov .
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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.
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