Texas Judge Blocks Mandatory Overtime Pay For 4M Americans

If you make less than $47,476 and were looking forward to getting mandatory overtime pay under new rules set to go into effect next month, you'll have to wait a little — or a lot — longer for that day to come.

A federal judge in Texas issued an emergency injunction on Tuesday afternoon, temporarily blocking the Obama administration's new rules set to go into effect Dec. 1.

The new rules would have required anybody earning less than $47,476 a year and working more than 50 hours a week be given at least time-and-a-half overtime pay. If you made $45,000 a year and worked 50 hours a week, under the new rules you could be paid an extra $324.52 per week — or 10 more hours of free time.

The new rules doubled the salary threshold to be eligible for mandatory overtime. The White House estimated the rules would impact more than 4 million Americans.

READ MORE: Obama Raises Overtime Salary Threshold: What You Need To Know

U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant, an Obama appointee, ruled (at least for now) in favor of 21 states and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who said the rules don't square with federal law governing who can set mandatory overtime pay.

If Mazzant hadn't made his ruling, it's unclear how long Obama's rules would have survived. President-elect Donald Trump, who promised less government regulation on business, could easily roll them back after he takes office in January.

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