That is why I am sponsoring the Family Friendly Workplace Act. This Act, which the Senate is debating this month, amends antiquated labor law to allow greater flexibility for employers and their hourly employees in designing work schedules and compensation. Under current law, hourly workers must be paid one and a half times their hourly wage for every hour over 40 they work during a week. Additionally, the bill allows hourly employees to work compressed work weeks. Federal employees have enjoyed similar options since 1978.
Participation is completely voluntary.
This bill does not take away any rights. It expands options. And that is what a majority of workers say they want. In two recent surveys, including one by President Clinton's pollster, nearly 75 percent of workers indicated that having the option to choose either cash wages or paid time off for working overtime hours would enable them to better balance their work and family responsibilities. A 1994 U.S. Department of Labor report found that the number-one concern for 66 percent of working women with children under the age of 18 is the difficulty of balancing work and family.