John W. Olver: “Mr. Speaker, the Working Families Flexibility Act is a misnomer, but it certainly clearly defines what the majority…”

“Mr. Speaker, the Working Families Flexibility Act is a misnomer, but it certainly clearly defines what the majority thinks about the struggle working families face. H.R. 1 does not help workers balance their work and family obligations. Instead, it lets employers dictate how workers will balance their working family. H.R. 1 allows employers to use comp time to deny workers overtime pay and then gives the employers the ultimate control over the use of the comp time. Employers can force workers to take time off when it is convenient for the company rather than for the workers and their families. H.R. 1, the Republican plan, is masked in profamily and proflexibility rhetoric, but in reality this bill is antiworker and antifamily. It denies access to overtime and thereby reduces the living standards of working families. Families depend on overtime to put food on the table, clothe the kids, and pay the mortgage. For too many Americans overtime is simply the difference between making ends meet and falling behind. Now, there is no dispute. Working Americans want and need and deserve more time with their families. But this bill does not provide it. If we are serious about making the workplace favor working Americans, we should enhance family and medical leave and improve wages. We should expand the health care coverage and make pensions portable.”