An article by Daniel Wiessner from Reuters discusses how a federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked a Biden administration rule that aimed to extend mandatory overtime pay to 4 million salaried U.S. workers. U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan ruled that the U.S. Department of Labor’s rule improperly based eligibility for overtime pay on workers’ wages rather than their job duties.
Judge Jordan, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, blocked the rule from applying to state workers in Texas while a legal challenge by the Republican-led state is pending. The judge’s decision has implications for the Labor Department’s ability to enforce the rule in Texas until the legal issues are resolved.
Impact on Salaried Workers
The rule adopted in April would require employers to pay overtime premiums to salaried workers earning less than $1,128 per week when they work more than 40 hours in a week. The previous threshold was about $35,500, set in 2019. The Labor Department argued that lower-paid salaried workers often do the same work as hourly workers but are not compensated for the extra hours they put in.
Texas argued that the rule violates federal law by focusing on workers’ pay rather than their duties when determining overtime exemptions. The state claimed that subjecting states to the overtime expansion interfered with their constitutional right to structure state employee pay and allocate budgetary resources.
Judge Jordan agreed with Texas, stating that the Labor Department had overstepped its authority by redefining federal law through the rule. He emphasized that the EAP Exemption, which exempts certain workers from receiving overtime pay, should center on job duties rather than wages. The judge’s decision highlights the importance of adhering to the legal framework established by federal law.
In addition to the Texas lawsuit, business groups and a marketing firm have filed challenges against the rule in federal courts in Texas. These legal battles indicate a growing opposition to the Biden administration’s efforts to expand overtime pay protections for salaried workers.
The federal judge’s decision to block Biden’s overtime pay rule underscores the complexities of labor law and the challenges of implementing policy changes at the federal level. The ruling highlights the need for a careful balance between protecting workers’ rights and ensuring compliance with existing legal frameworks. As the legal challenges continue, the fate of the overtime pay rule remains uncertain, leaving millions of salaried workers in limbo.