Obama’s expected change to overtime rules would make more eligible for extra pay

[steve2470]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-order-expansion-of-overtime-pay/2014/03/12/3262d334-a9f2-11e3-8599-ce7295b6851c_story.html

Lackluster wage growth is propelling a new White House campaign to reexamine federal labor regulations that administration officials say are leaving more American workers unprotected every year.

The latest move by the White House is expected Thursday, when President Obama plans to announce that he is directing the Labor Department to use its rulemaking authority to beef up federal overtime protections, leading to higher wages for millions of workers.

Obama is also pressing Congress to raise the minimum wage for all workers. And, earlier this year, he took unilateral action to boost the $7.25 minimum wage to $10.10 for federal contractors.

The campaign comes as working-class Americans are struggling to get by on incomes that have not increased appreciably during the Obama administration, despite record corporate profits and a recovering economy. Though stagnant wages are primarily attributed to larger economic forces, economists say federal rules that have failed to keep pace with the growing cost of goods and services have also played a part.