OT Rules Change Little (Editorial)

New federal Department of Labor rules took effect Aug. 23 that govern who qualifies for overtime pay. Despite all the hoopla from both labor and management over who the big losers or winners will be, it’s hard to predict the full impact of the new rules. Some workers will get more money, some less.

Democrats see it as an effort by the Bush administration to deny families extra pay for extra work past the normal 40 hours. Labor union critics of the measure say as many as 6 million workers could be affected by the new rules.

The White House, which backed the measure, says 1.3 million more white-collar workers previously on salary will be able to claim overtime pay. Republicans say only a few hundred thousand Americans — many of them already earning six-figure incomes — would lose overtime eligibility.

The new rules won’t affect union workers who have contracts that guarantee overtime, but labor leaders say the regulations could hurt union workers in future negotiations.

Don’t look for a quick solution. If the Democrats gain the White House or Congress in November, they’ll put in a lot of extra hours revising the rules again.