The House of Representatives rejected a bill that would have allowed employers to offer hourly employees specified voluntary training programs on a non-compensable basis.
Although specific types of training time may be non-compensable, the Labor Department applies those exceptions narrowly.
The House voted down H.R. 2262, a proposal to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act, even though supporters argued that the change would encourage employers to provide additional skills training. The measure failed 209 to 215 last week, when six Republicans joined all Democrats to oppose it.
The bill’s defeat makes it unlikely that the chamber will resume consideration of other employment reforms scheduled for House action.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC), our affiliated nonprofit membership association, can read more here.
Employers seeking a refresher on the rules should register for CWC’s Fundamentals of Wage and Hour Compliance course, to be held May 4 through May 8. CWC’s Workplace Policy Conference, to be held March 18 and 19, also will discuss the prospects for legislative and regulatory reforms.