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Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, introduced a resolution Thursday under the Congressional Review Act to block the new overtime rule set by the Labor Department on May 18.

The resolution, H.J. Res. 95, provides for congressional disapproval of the Labor Department’s overtime rule.

The resolution is meant to protect workers, students, nonprofit organizations and small business owners from the consequences of the overtime rule, according to a press release from Foxx’s House Subcommittee site.

Foxx said in an email response the new overtime regulations – which require companies to pay overtime for many of the employees making less than $47,476 – would hamper economic recovery and continue to hold families in North Carolina back.

The previous salary threshold for overtime eligibility was set at $23,660.

“Once again unelected Washington bureaucrats have harmed the employees they claim to support by removing flexibility in the workplace, which could lead to cutting the pay or limiting the hours of workers,” Foxx said.

“Regulators also ignored the concerns of employers that these regulations will make it more difficult for hardworking Americans to operate their businesses and provide career advancement opportunities for their employees.”

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) was critical of President Barack Obama’s administration in the way it handled businesses and employees.

He said in an email response the rule will put employees in a position of having their hours cut or losing out on opportunities for raises and promotions.

“Having just seen the worst jobs report in nearly six years, this disastrous rule is the last thing our economy needs,” McHenry said. “In the coming days and weeks, I will continue to work with my House colleagues to stop this job-killing proposal.”

Catawba County Chamber of Commerce President Danny Hearn previously told the Hickory Daily Record on May 25 he expects the new overtime rule to limit small business growth.

“It will be costly, and it will affect us like it affects businesses everywhere,” Hearn said previously.

If H.J. Res 95 doesn’t pass, the overtime regulation is set to go into effect Dec. 1. The rule would update the threshold every three years to keep pace with wage growth.

http://www.hickoryrecord.com/news/rep-foxx-moves-to-block-new-overtime-rule/article_08288a58-3836-11e6-b4ef-33f90d0c232d.html