Harkin pushes amendment on overtime rules

Overtime pay is the topic on Capitol Hill today as the U.S. Senate debates an administration proposal to cut the number of workers who’d qualify for the extra money when they work more than 40 hours a week. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a democrat who has been critical of the proposal from its inception, said cutting overtime pay won’t help the recovering economy create more jobs. He’s pushing an amendment to block the proposal.He says it’s common sense that if you can work your employees more hours and not pay them time and-a-half, you won’t hire any more workers. Harkin charged one proposal of the legislation would tell employers how to avoid paying overtime to workers who earn it. He said they’re advised to reclassify workers into a category not eligible for overtime pay and then work them longer, and he compares it to the I-R-S telling people how to cheat on their taxes. Senate democrats may use the overtime issue to hold up a corporate tax-cut bill that includes revisions that could end European tariffs on imported U.S. goods. Republicans, who control the Senate, have stalled a vote on Harkin’s amendment.