For years, it has felt like I’ve been working harder and longer, but not seeing it in my paycheck at the end of the week.
It’s not just me. We’re all feeling the pinch of everything, from groceries to rent to child care getting more expensive, while our incomes have stayed the same for years.
It didn’t used to be this way, though. Only a few decades ago, our country made sure that most Americans in salaried jobs were paid extra if they worked more than 40 hours a week. We’ve had even the simplest protections at work whittled away over the years. Luckily, President Obama has taken action to fix this so that millions more will finally now be eligible for overtime [“Overtime pay may become reality for more U.S. workers,” Nation & World, May 17].
Of course, there are a few greedy people, including some members of Congress, who have already started to fight tooth and nail to keep folks like you and me from getting paid for all of the work we do.
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But here’s what I know: Families in our community need a raise. Restoring overtime protections — like President Obama has done — will make that possible.
Elizabeth Lowry, Seattle