WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Rewarding Hard Work by Strengthening Overtime Pay Protections
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
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EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, March 15, 2014
WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Rewarding Hard Work by Strengthening Overtime Pay Protections
WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s message, Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez highlighted the action the President took this week to reward hard work by strengthening overtime pay protections.
The audio of the address and video of the message is available online HERE.
Remarks of Tom Perez
Spanish Weekly Address
The White House
March 15, 2013
Hi, everybody. In this year of action, this President is doing everything he can, with or without Congress, to expand opportunity for more Americans. This week, he ordered a review of our nation’s overtime rules, to give more Americans the chance to earn the overtime pay they’ve worked for.
Here’s why this matters. Our businesses have created 8.7 million new jobs over the past four years. But in many ways, the trends that have battered the middle class for decades have grown even starker. While those at the top are doing better than ever, average wages have barely budged. Too many Americans are working harder than ever just to keep up.
We’ve got to build an economy that works for everybody. We’ve got to restore opportunity for all – the idea that with hard work and responsibility, you can get ahead.
In some cases, this rule makes it possible for workers earning a salary to actually be paid less than the minimum wage. And it means that business owners who treat their employees fairly can be undercut by competitors who don’t. That’s not right. So we’re going to update those overtime rules to restore that basic principle that if you have to work more, you should be able to earn more.
Americans have spent too long working more and getting less in return. So wherever and whenever the President can make sure that our economy rewards hard work and responsibility, that’s what he’s going to do. Because what every American wants is a paycheck that lets them support their families, know a little economic security, and pass down some hope and optimism to their kids. That’s something worth fighting for.
Thank you very much, and have a great weekend.
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