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Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 28, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Business and Consumers Employment and Affirmative Action

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Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act. This legislation works to delay implementation of the Department of Labor's new overtime rule for 6 months.

Without this legislation, the rule goes into effect on December 1, leaving employers scrambling to comply with the new rule and jeopardizing employees' paychecks right before the holiday season--a very bad time.

As a small-business owner who has employed thousands of people, I know the challenges that the business community will face: moving salaried employees to hourly; trouble recruiting qualified, new hires to accept an hourly position; current employees' time being spent monitoring the time clock; and, ultimately, the potential for hours to be cut and paychecks to dwindle.

This is devastating to employees who have worked hard to earn a salaried position. They have earned this position to be salaried, and then to move to hourly? Many Americans will soon realize they have fewer job prospects, less flexibility in the workplace, and less opportunity to move up the economic ladder. In other words, those who can least afford it will be hit the hardest: small businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions.

I could stand here before this body, just as Congressman Byrne did, and tell you stories of all the small businesses in my district and employees that have come to me to warn me of the struggles other employees and families will face because of this overtime rule.

The President is enacting this rule a mere month before he is out of office to try and score cheap political points when he knows he won't be here to clean up the mess. I have to say: I am ashamed, Mr. President. We need to take a step back and hit the pause button.

Unsurprisingly, the administration has no plans to change the rule, so an extra 6-month grace period is crucial to the well-being of our schools, small businesses, and nonprofits.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation.

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