RETAILERS FILE SUIT TO BLOCK NEW OVERTIME RULE

The National Retail Federation filed suit in U.S. District Court today on behalf of the millions of employers and employees who will be drastically affected if the Labor Department’s changes to the federal overtime rules go into effect on December 1.

Research conducted for NRF shows that the overtime regulations will force employers to limit hours or cut base pay in order to make up for the added payroll costs, leaving most workers with no increase in take-home pay despite added administrative costs. A separate survey found that the majority of retail managers and assistant managers the regulations are supposed to help oppose the plan.

“The Labor Department’s extreme and reckless changes to the overtime rules will hobble the career paths of millions of Americans trying to climb the professional ladder,” said David French, senior vice president for government relations at NRF. “Retailers are already struggling to implement this new government mandate before the swiftly approaching deadline, and the automatic update included in the rule would make them do this same dance every three years for as long as they are able to remain in business. This is a massive government overreach of executive authority, and the courts need to put a stop to it.”

Read the full lawsuit here.