The Department of Labor has proposed a rule that would widen
the number of salaried workers eligible for overtime pay.
Currently, employees with a salary lower than $23,660
($455 per week) have to be paid overtime if they work over 40 hours per week. The level was set in 2004.
The DOL's new rule would boost the salary threshold to $35,308 per year, or $679 per week.
According to the DOL, the rule would make more than 1
million Americans eligible for overtime. Once published in the Federal
Register, the public can submit comments about it electronically at
www.regulations.gov under rulemaking docket RIN 1235-AA20.
In its Travel Advisor Daily newsletter, ASTA said it will
comment on the proposal once it is published. ASTA pointed out that the salary
threshold increase is less than one proposed by the Obama administration that would
have raised the threshold to $47,476 per year.
ASTA said it will
continue efforts to have travel agencies removed from a so-called "blacklist"
barring agencies from using an exemption from federal labor rules that apply to
retail businesses.