Rep. Joe Wilson's 'Comp Time' Bill Moves to Senate

A bill co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-2) passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday and will now move to the Senate.

The bill, called the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, passed by a vote of 223-204, which was along party lines.

The bill seeks to change the U.S labor law that says hourly workers are required to paid time-and-a-half for every hour they work over 40 in a week. The bill would allow employers to exercise that option or use the time beyond 40 hours toward 'comp' time. The 'comp' time option is already given to many public-sector employees.

But Democrats say giving employers the 'comp' time options would create circumstances ripe for the possibility of worker exploitation.

In a statement following the House vote, Wilson said: 

“The challenges facing our working mothers and fathers to provide for their families are substantial.  Our current workforce restrictions, imposed by the federal government on the private sector, are outdated. Washington has developed a habit of restricting an employee’s ability to autonomously determine what is best for their families.

“If today’s legislation becomes law, American families’ lives will be enhanced as work environments will become more flexible to provide balance between job and family. By taking control away from the federal government, Congress is placing the power back where it belongs: Into the hands of the American workforce. As a proud cosponsor of this bill, it is my hope that the Senate will take immediate action to ensure that our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers can appropriately make their own decisions regarding overtime-working hours.

The bill is not expected to pass the Democratically-controlled Senate. 

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