By Daniel Menefee
For Maryland Reporter
A bill that would make 80,000 more salaried employees in Maryland eligible for overtime pay is not sitting well with business and nonprofit groups, whose salaried employees often work more than 40 hours a week.
But the bill’s sponsor says companies have avoided paying overtime for decades by unfairly classifying hourly workers as salaried employees.
The bill, HB665, would increase the salary cap for white-collar and service workers currently exempt from overtime pay to $47,476 up from the current $23,660. That would be $913 per week, up from $455 weekly.
“This salary level has not been changed since 2004 and is now less than the poverty level for a family of four,” said Del. Jimmy Tarlau, D-Prince George’s, in testimony before the House Economic Matters Committee on Tuesday.
