Many middle class families in the U.S. rely on overtime pay to make ends meet. They work longer hours away from their families to keep up with soaring health care costs, education expenses and rent and mortgage bills - and they deserve a paycheck that rewards hard work. But now overtime pay and the 40-hour work week are in danger. 

Republicans in Congress and the current Administration have worked to get rid of overtime pay for over 6 million workers.  The Administration has imposed new regulations that take away the right to overtime from workers making as little as $23,660, with the greatest impact being felt by middle-income workers making between $23,660 and $100,000. Several times over the past two years, Republicans have voted against measures to protect wages from the Administration's plan.  Workers that have lost their overtime pay include pre-school teachers, fast food supervisors and computer programmers, and could include policemen, registered nurses, and many others.

In addition, the Administration and Congressional Republicans want to give employers the authority to replace overtime pay with "comp time" - a plan that promises employees paid time off at a future date instead of overtime pay. During slow business weeks, employers could then make employees use their comp time. This deprives workers of the chance to earn any kind of extra pay for their families and puts all the power in the hands of their employers. 

Democrats know that Americans deserve to be rewarded for their hard work. That's why we are fighting to save the wages on which American families depend. When Americans are forced to work above and beyond the 40-hour work week, they deserve to be paid for their labor.