House Committee on Education and Labor
U.S. House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Previewing a key element of Republicans’ American Families Agenda, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today introduced the Family-Friendly Workplace Act (H.R. 6025), a bill to provide greater flexibility to working families. The bill eliminates barriers in federal law that prevent private sector workers from enjoying the benefit of a “family time” option, which would allow workers to choose paid time off as compensation for overtime worked.

“Time is one of our most precious resources.  We all want more of it and yet we only have 24 hours in a day.  That means we have to figure out how to work a full day, run errands, pack lunches, make dinner and spend quality time with our kids, spouse, or elderly parent,” said McMorris Rodgers.  “Giving employees more flexibility in their workweek is key to increasing retention as well as attracting great employees that will help increase our country's competitiveness.”

The Family-Friendly Workplace Act allows private sector employers to offer their employees the option of taking paid time off as compensation for overtime hours worked.  This benefit, commonly known as “comp time” or “family time,” has been enjoyed by public sector (e.g. government) workers for more than two decades.  However, the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act prevents private sector employers from offering this same flexibility to their workers, leaving the vast majority of hourly employees unable to benefit from this type of paid time off.

The Family-Friendly Workplace Act includes strong protections for workers to ensure that no worker is forced to select “family time” over traditional cash wages for overtime.  Under the bill:

•    The choice of whether and when to use “family time” would be made by the employee;

•    Employees may withdraw from a compensatory time agreement with an employer at any time;

•    Participation in a “comp time” program rather than receipt of cash wages cannot be made a condition of employment; and

•    Employees may request, in writing, at any time, to be paid cash wages for accrued, unused compensatory time.  Employers must provide cash wages within 30 days of the request.

“Today’s families are struggling to balance the demands of work and home.  The last thing they need is for outdated federal laws to stand in the way of a more family-friendly workplace,” said Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), the senior Republican on the Education and Labor Committee.  “Republicans are committed to offering the American people the change they deserve.  That begins with a more flexible 21st century workplace.”

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