Press Releases

Small Business Reaction to New Labor Department Overtime Rule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:  Kristofer Eisenla, LUNA+EISENLA media
[email protected] | 202-670-5747 (mobile)

Ruling Will Reduce Small Business Growth, Employee Flexibility & Opportunity

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation’s leading advocate and resource for self-employed and micro-businesses, today released the following statement in reaction to new overtime rules from the Department of Labor by expressing “deep concern the rule will hurt small business growth and employees in the long-run”:

“The Department of Labor’s ruling will make it more difficult for millions of small business owners across America to help strengthen and support our local and national economies,” said Katie Vlietstra, Vice President for Government Relations and Public Affairs. “This new overtime rule will increase costs for our nation’s small business community who are already facing a host of unfair business regulations and add to the struggle they face to meet their bottom lines. As a result of this rule, employee flexibility will be reduced, growth opportunities squandered and small business expansion stalled. Businesses will be forced to cut vital programs, staffing and services that benefit American workers.

“We urge the U.S. Congress to support the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act and stand up for the American small business community. What is needed is a more appropriate salary threshold that takes into account regional cost-of-living differences, not further regulations that dictate harmful business practices.”

On Wednesday, the Labor Department announced its final overtime rule, which increases the salary threshold for overtime eligibility by 100% to $47,476.