Let's Not Play Games With Overtime

New regulations regarding overtime pay went into effect in August, amid much controversy and debate. Affecting mostly white-collar employees, these regulations were promoted as an attempt by the Department of Labor (DoL) to make the rules clearer, simpler, easier to enforce and more reflective of today's job duties, pay rates and work environment. Critics charged that the new regs were, in reality, an attempt by the DoL to give employers an upper hand in restricting overtime pay, thereby allowing them to reduce labor costs and force large numbers of employees to do more work for less money.

In most machine shops and metalworking plants, the new rules are not expected to cause dramatic changes in worker compensation. For example, hourly shopfloor employees will still be entitled to overtime pay. But the status of some front-office employees might change, as might the status of some CNC programmers.

In general, however, it is not clear to what extent workers in all industries will gain or lose eligibility to receive overtime pay. Time will tell. Personally, I would bet that the new regs will not have the dire negative consequences critics warn about.

• I can more safely say that the whole controversy was regrettable for several reasons.
• It added credence to the notion that employees and employers are necessarily locked in an adversarial relationship.
• Turning the proposed changes into a political issue was unduly polarizing and divisive. Policy-makers may be discouraged from seeking reforms in other areas pertinent to labor relations and regulatory compliance.
• Litigation or the mere threat of litigation will continue to have a distorted role in influencing employee/employer relationships.

Despite this, I remain convinced that good-faith employers who strive to be open, honest and fair toward all employees gain a competitive advantage in terms of a more dedicated, motivated and loyal workforce. Compliance with regulations goes along way toward avoiding abuses and exploitation, but a "higher spirit" is needed to lift the workplace onto a plane where mutual trust and respect sustains the enterprise.