On March 17, a group of lawmakers introduced ABC-supported legislation that would prevent the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) from implementing its overtime proposal.

The proposed rule issued last June more than doubles the salary threshold to qualify as a white-collar employee exempt from federal overtime pay requirements and would automatically increase the salary levels on an annual basis.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) introduced the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act (H.R. 4773/S. 2707), which would prevent  DOL from implementing its proposed changes to the overtime salary threshold and ensure that any future proposed changes occur only after the economic effects have been rigorously analyzed.

ABC sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on March 30 urging them to support this important legislation. In the letter, ABC explained that DOL’s overtime proposal will burden construction employers with increased labor costs and fails to take into account regional economic differences. By requiring large numbers of exempt executives, administrators and professionals to be reclassified, among other changes, the proposal would greatly restrict the flexibility needed to provide high-quality construction services.

Since it was issued last summer, ABC has been a vocal opponent of DOL’s overtime proposal. ABC and more than 900 members submitted comments last September to DOL’s Wage and Hour Division urging them to withdraw their proposed rule. Additionally, as a member of the Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity (PPWO), ABC has worked to educate members of Congress on the proposal’s impact on small businesses.

You can take action and call on your elected officials to support this legislation through the PPWO grassroots portal.