Bill Barrett: “Mr. Chairman, if we mentioned comp time or flex time or telecommuting or inside sales personnel to people back 20 or 30…”

“Mr. Chairman, if we mentioned comp time or flex time or telecommuting or inside sales personnel to people back 20 or 30 years ago, we probably would have gotten a very, very strange look. But these terms today, they are a reality. This is today's workplace. And they have gone largely unrecognized in today's antiquated labor laws. Today we take a small step forward to recognize what is already occurring in the labor force, but the Federal Government has been very, very slow to respond. H.R. 2888 allows professional sales people working regularly with established clients to be exempt from minimum wage and overtime requirements. The bill permits some inside sales workers to earn a salary and be treated like a professional along with their outside sales counterparts. In this era of family-friendly workplaces, Congress should embrace a bill giving the people the flexibility to use technological advances and changes in our economy to work near their home in jobs that they enjoy or need and be closer to their families. This bill enjoys bipartisan support. It lets a fresh breeze into the stale and outdated Federal laws that have restricted the economic liberty of an entire class of professional working people. When the House does pass H.R. 2888, we should be proud of our actions to allow people to again capture the American dream of being rewarded for their hard work.”