Demand the Department of Labor act to protect overtime pay for 12.5 million working people

Last year, the Department of Labor updated the overtime pay rule to extend overtime eligibility to 4.9 million more working people, and strengthen the rights of 7.6 million more. This August, a Texas district court ruled in favor of business interests, over working people, effectively blocking the rule.

At a time of massive income inequality, strengthening overtime protections for low- and middle-income families is one of the most important actions we can take.

Sign the petition to the Department of Labor demanding it defend the overtime pay of millions of working people and commit to the Obama-era overtime salary threshold of at least $47,476 and indexing the threshold so that it maintains its value for millions of working people.

ToDepartment of Labor

Back in 1975, President Gerald Ford’s Labor Department set the salary level for overtime exemption at well over $50,000 in today’s dollars―high enough to cover more than 60 percent of full-time salaried workers. Today, that salary threshold is just $23,660, covering less than 7 percent of full-time salaried workers.

We call on the Department of Labor to defend overtime pay for 12.5 million working people and committing to an overtime salary threshold of at least $47,476―high enough to cover about one-third of full-time salaried employees but lower than the level that it was in the 1970s. This will extend overtime eligibility to 4.9 million more working people, and strengthen the rights of 7.6 million more.