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Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) joined his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass H.R. 1180, the Working Families Flexibility Act, legislation that would provide more flexibility to employees in how they receive overtime compensation. The legislation would allow employees in the private sector the option to receive paid time off in lieu of cash wages for overtime hours worked. The paid time off option would only be available if an employer agrees, and the employee is free to change their mind at any time and receive cash compensation. While public sector employees have had this option for three decades, it is still not allowed under current law in the private sector.
 
“Working families today value flexibility and options when it comes to their work schedule,” said Latta. “Unfortunately, our federal laws have not kept up with the demands of the modern workforce. The Working Families Flexibility Act is commonsense legislation that simply gives private sector employees the option to receive paid time off instead of cash for their overtime compensation — an option available to public sector employees for years. This bill empowers employees to make the choice that works best for them.”
 
The bill keeps in place all other requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act and maintains protections for employees. Under the legislation, employees would be allowed to accrue up to 160 hours of comp time each year and are free to ‘cash out’ the accrued comp time if they choose to do so.
 
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