Overtime Rules Long Overdue for a Reality Check

The requirement that most workers who go beyond 40 hours a week get time-and-a-half pay as a reward has been a great one since its inception in 1938, writes Ross Eisenbrey in the New York Times. But the current guidelines for salaried workers, as opposed to hourly ones, are way out of date, he argues. As it stands, the government says the overtime pay kicks in for salaried workers who make less than $455 a week. That's a joke, writes Eisenbrey, who suggests President Obama raise it to $970.

"In keeping with the original purpose of the overtime rules, this increase would make overtime pay more expensive, creating an incentive for employers to spread work among other workers (an important goal in today’s low-job-creation environment)," he writes. "It would also more fairly compensate those who do work more than 40 hours." It's a no-brainer, and the best part is that Obama can do so on his own, without Congress, writes Eisenbrey. Click to read his full column. (More overtime stories.)