Civil and Human Rights Coalition Dismayed by Ruling on Updated Overtime Rule

WASHINGTON – June Zeitlin, director, human rights policy of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement after a federal district judge struck down the Department of Labor’s updated overtime rule:

“This decision is a slap in the face to the 12.5 million people who would have benefited from the overtime rule. It’s simple – people should be paid for the work they do. The rule would ensure that employees are paid for extra hours they are required to work. This rule went through more than two years of extensive stakeholder engagement and received nearly 300,000 public comments, most of which were supportive. It is beyond ironic that this decision comes just days before Labor Day. We urge Secretary Acosta to appeal this decision and ensure that people are paid the wages they are owed for the hours worked.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.