U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Applauds Progress on Overtime Protections for Middle Class Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin applauded progress on efforts to support Wisconsin’s middle class and boost incomes of working families by strengthening overtime protections for salaried workers. 

“Too many Americans are working longer and harder yet they are still struggling to get ahead,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m encouraged to see continued progress on this effort to strengthen overtime protections that respect and reward hard work. Working families in Wisconsin deserve a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.”

Current regulations fail to protect a majority of salaried workers by only requiring employers to pay time and a half for those who earn less than $23,660 annually. This salary threshold applies to only 11 percent of salaried American workers and is below the federal poverty level for a family of four. In Wisconsin, only 8.9% of salaried workers currently have overtime protections, compared to 44% of Wisconsin salaried workers with overtime protections in 1975, according to a study by the Economic Policy Institute.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that a proposed rule on overtime for salaried workers was sent to the Office of Management and Budget, an important step forward in revising overtime protections. In January, Senator Baldwin sent a letter to President Obama bringing attention to the need to strengthen overtime protections for salaried workers. The letter was joined by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Al Franken (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Robert Casey (D-PA), Martin Hrinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Benjamin Cardin (D-MD).