Comp Time Bill Passes House Education Committee

The House Education and Workforce Committee approved legislation that would allow private employers to offer compensatory (comp) time arrangements to employees in arrangements already permissible for public employers.  NAICU, in collaboration with many of the NAICU state association and Secretariat members, joined a coalition letter supporting the bill.  

The Working Families Flexibility Act, H.R. 2870, passed along a party line vote of 19-15.  It is unclear when the bill might be scheduled for floor consideration before the full House. While there is companion legislation in the Senate, it is not currently scheduled for consideration by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee. 

Currently, federal wage and hour laws only allow public employers the flexibility to offer comp time arrangements to employees working over 40 hours per week. Public employers, including public colleges and universities, can offer either comp time or overtime pay in arrangements made with employees. Private employers, including private. nonprofit colleges and universities, however, only have the option of paying overtime wages to non-exempt wage and hour employees when those employees work overtime.  

Comp time arrangements are not mandatory and must be negotiated between employers and employees. In addition, comp time must be awarded similarly to overtime pay – that is, 1.5 hours for every hour of overtime worked. 

Having the option to offer comp time arrangements allows more workplace flexibility for employers and employees alike, particularly when the mandatory threshold amount for overtime pay is set at a level beyond what is affordable to the employer. Comp time arrangements could help private, nonprofit colleges and universities avoid budget shortfalls and potential layoffs.