House Subcommittee Considers Comp Time Bill

Just days after it was introduced, the Working Families Flexibility Act ( H.R. 1406) was debated during a House subcommittee hearing on Thursday. Introduced by Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL), this bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to permit private-sector employees to opt for paid time off ("comp time") at a rate of at least one-and-one-half hours of compensatory time per hour of overtime pay earned. Although similar legislation has been introduced over the years, Rep. Roby claimed that the current bill addresses some of the concerns expressed during previous congressional terms.

Opening the hearing, Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) stated that for nearly 30 years members of the public sector have enjoyed the use of comp time off in lieu of cash wages, and that it is "only fair to extend the same benefits to millions of workers in the private sector." He said that giving private sector employees the choice between cash wages and paid time off is "an