News release from Congressman Marlin Stutzman (R-IN 3rd):
Stutzman: “We Can Give Working Parents More Flexibility”
(May 7, 2013) Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Marlin Stutzman spoke on the House floor today in favor of the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, legislation to give Hoosiers the same flexibility afforded to government workers.
“Mr. Speaker, life is hard. Across Indiana, moms and dads are working hard to make ends meet and it’s anything but easy.
“The national unemployment rate is 7.5%. More businesses are reducing employees’ hours under the immense pressure and weight of Obamacare’s red tape. On top of all that, President Obama wants $1.2 trillion in new taxes on families and businesses.
“There’s no time card at the dinner table. Parenting is a 24/7, 365-day job. Unfortunately, moms and dads in the private sector have to consider missing a day of work when flu season strikes, or when teacher conferences roll around, or when life throws another curveball.
“The last thing Hoosiers in the real economy need is an outdated federal law that makes things harder.
“Under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, too many families are forced to make a difficult trade-off: sit down with your son’s teacher and you could see a thinner paycheck at the end of the week. Often, mom and dad will take turns after they’ve looked at the budget and the calendar. For single parents, it’s another uphill battle.
“But while families on Main Street have to make tough choices, government workers have the flexibility to work overtime to cover these situations. We need to make sure that Hoosiers in the everyday world have the same option.
“Here in the House, we’ve introduced a simple, common sense solution. Our bill gives Hoosiers and Americans a choice between cash wages and comp time for the overtime hours they work. Government workers already get this option—so should everyday Americans.
“By fixing an outdated law today, we can give working parents more flexibility tomorrow.”
Background:
- Congressman Stutzman is a cosponsor of H.R. 1406, the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013.
- The legislation, which will come before the House for a vote this week, amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to allow employers in the private sector to offer workers the choice of paid time off in lieu of cash wages for overtime work. For nearly thirty years, government employees have enjoyed the benefits of this “comp time” arrangement.
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