Tom Harkin: “Common sense dictates if an employer can work you longer hours per week and not have to pay you overtime, that is…”

“Common sense dictates if an employer can work you longer hours per week and not have to pay you overtime, that is exactly what they will do, and they will not hire new workers. In fact, when the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed in 1938, establishing the 40-hour workweek, President Roosevelt said at the time this was for creating jobs so people would not be working 50, 60 hours a week; they would be working 40 hours a week and spending more time with their families, and we would create more jobs. That is exactly what happened. I agree with the Senator on the other side when he said this bill is about creating jobs and losing jobs and, yes, that is exactly what this amendment on overtime is about--creating jobs or losing jobs.”