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OPA News Release: [04/24/2004]
Contact Name: Pamela Groover
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Speaks to F.O.P. State Presidents

Louisville, Ky.—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao spoke today at the Fraternal Order of Police’s (F.O.P.) State Presidents’ meeting where National FOP President Chuck Canterbury and all the FOP State Presidents thanked the Secretary and the Labor Department for the new overtime rules that strengthen and protect overtime rights for police and other first responders. The Department's new overtime rules were announced on Tuesday, April 20, 2004.

“Thanks to the constructive engagement of the Fraternal Order of Police in the rulemaking process, the right to overtime for police is clearly protected and strengthened in the new rules the Department announced this week,” said Secretary Chao. “For the first time in history the overtime rights of your brothers and sisters on the front lines-firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and public safety employees-are also fully protected,” said Chao.

To provide even stronger overtime protection for workers, the Department's FairPay overtime security rules add new sections that clearly state that “hourly” workers, police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and licensed practical nurses are entitled to overtime protection.

The new rules expand the number of workers eligible for overtime by nearly tripling the salary threshold. Under the 50-year-old regulations, only workers earning less than $8,060 annually were guaranteed overtime. Under the new rules, workers earning $23,660 or less are guaranteed overtime. This strengthens overtime protection for 6.7 million low-wage salaried workers, including 1.3 million salaried white collar workers who were not entitled to overtime pay under the existing regulations. These workers will gain up to $375 million in additional earnings every year.

The Department’s new FairPay rule will take effect in 120 days. It will be published in the Federal Register and a text version is available online at www.dol.gov/fairpay . For further information about the Fair Labor Standards Act, visit the Department’s Wage and Hour Division web page at www.dol.gov .

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