Employees are nearly 2-1 in favor of a proposal to allow for comp time to be used in place of overtime in the private sector, according to a survey released by TSheets.
Of the 400 respondents, only one in four said they opposed using comp time in place of overtime, compared to 44% who were in favor. Just under a third of the respondents (31%) said they were unsure whether the law should be changed or not.
Under the bill—sponsored by Republicans Martha Roby of Alabama and Mike Lee of Utah—private sector employees would be allowed to forfeit their overtime wages in place of paid time off. Proponents of the bill say it would allow employees more flexibility in their work schedules while opponents argue it would reduce people’s incomes.
The proposal received an endorsement from the White House, passed the House on May 2, and was introduced to the Senate for approval.
TSheets commissioned Pollfish to survey 400 U.S. employees, aged 18 and over, between April 18 and April 19, 2017. The question that was asked and how it was answered is as follows:
It is currently against the law for most employers to give time off instead of paying overtime. Do you think the law should be changed?
- Yes, I think employees should be able to take time off instead of overtime: 44%
- No, I do not think employees should be able to take time off instead of overtime: 25%
- Not sure 31%