Maine Senators Divide on Overtime Pay Measure

by Nicolas Parasie

WASHINGTON - The Senate approved an amendment Wednesday that would thwart the Bush administration's plan to change requirements for overtime work, a proposal Democrats say would eliminate extra pay for hundreds of thousands of workers but Republicans contend would mean more money for low-income employees.

Maine's two Senators split on the amendment. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine was one of six Republicans who sided with Democrats in the 54-45 vote.

"The ramifications of this policy change could be far-reaching and could result in diminishing the incomes and wallets of working Mainers and Americans," Snowe said in a statement. She added that "these changes would pose a significant hardship for working families, particularly during these insecure economic times."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted against the amendment. "By increasing the salary threshold from $8,000 to $22,000 annually.á Maine workers will receive an estimated $2.9 million in overtime pay," she said. "These dollars could make a big difference to thousands of Maine families by helping them make ends meet during these tough economic times."

The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, would prohibit the Labor Department from changing the law that dictates who must receive overtime pay for working more than 40 hours a week.

Democrats argue that the Bush administration's proposed regulation threatens to abolish overtime benefits for 644,000 white-collar workers, while Republicans say the change would make 1.3 million low-income workers - mainly women and minorities -- eligible for overtime payments.

The Republican-controlled House narrowly defeated a similar amendment, and President Bush has said he would veto the $472.2 billion spending bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education if the Harkin amendment is included. So the odds are against the amendment surviving in the final bill.

Michael Eastman, director of labor law policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the administration was right to push for what he called a clearer overtime regulation.

"Overtime regulation needs to be updated, but this amendment would effectively kill any revision of the regulations," Eastman said. He added that "there are large litigation costs, because the regulation is old and confusing. We want to prevent that."

But Adam Fisher, assistant commissioner at the Maine Department of Labor, said the state sees few lawsuits on overtime pay.

"We feel the current regulation is sufficient," Fisher said. "Overtime protection for the Maine people has never really been an issue."

Democrats gained the upper hand on the issue when they managed to delay voting on the amendment until the four Democratic senators running for president could be there. Sens. Bob Graham of Florida, John Edwards of North Carolina, John Kerry of Massachusetts and Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut all voted for the Harkin amendment.