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Democrats Oppose Comp Time Bill

Some Ohio workers who now receive time and a half overtime might lose that if a bill passes in the Ohio legislature. The bill would allow small businesses to offer compensatory time to employees in lieu of time and a half. Democratic House member Denise Driehaus says she likes the idea of that but she says there’s a big catch.

"At first blush, yeah some of us like comp time, the concept of comp time. But when they changed the 1.5 to 1, and the overtime would have been a pay to 1.5 and the comp times at 1, it changed the dynamic of the bill. It made it less fair for the employee, and with no provisions for that employee to say no I would prefer the overtime, it became very problematic."

The bill would not do away with the federal requirement that businesses pay employees time and a half for overtime hours. But it would allow those businesses to negotiate the comp time instead. The democrats fear some businesses could see this as a way to force a cut in wages for employees. Backers of the plan say it’s a good idea because it gives businesses and workers more flexibility. Comp time earned for hours worked in excess of 40 could be saved for a time off later.