This week in the War on Workers: Eric Cantor's plan to give bosses added power over the clock

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Last edited Sat Apr 27, 2013, 11:45 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/27/1204876/-This-week-in-the-War-on-Workers-Eric-Cantor-s-plan-to-give-bosses-added-power-over-the-clock

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Part of Eric Cantor's big Republican rebranding agenda is to pass the Working Families Flexibility Act, which would let employers replace paying time and a half for overtime hours worked with offering comp time. Of course, it's branded as offering workers more choice. But there are a few problems with that. Working America's Doug Foote counts seven

“Comp time” encourages mandatory overtime – and ends overtime pay as we know it. Instead of time-and-a-half pay for hours worked past 40, workers would get “comp time,” hours of time off to be taken later. Employers benefit because they don’t have to pay overtime, plus, they can have you use your comp time in a way that won’t cost them extra (during less busy periods, etc.).

According to the bill, individual employees have the “choice” between comp time or overtime pay. Since comp time saves the employer money, what is stopping them from inducing workers, subtly or not, into choosing comp time? They could give the “comp time” workers better shifts and better treatment, and they could even train workers not to take the overtime options – in the same way that Target and other stores train workers not to join unions.