U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Fraternal Order of Police State Presidents Meeting
Louisville, Kentucky
Saturday, April 24, 2004

Thank you, Chuck [Canterbury, President, National FOP] . Thank you for your leadership and for all you do to help police officers across America. I also want to thank Kentucky FOP President Martin Scott and National Board Member Mike Hettich, our hosts for this state presidents' meeting.

I also want to thank Chuck and FOP Executive Director Jim Pasco for joining the delegation I led to Iraq in January. We had the opportunity to see firsthand the tremendous progress that has been made. And we also saw that many challenges remain—especially with security. But our men and women in uniform—and the civilians who work with them—are doing a great job. More than 25 million Iraqis are free. And democracy is taking shape—despite the recent attempts of extremists and criminals to derail it.

On the home front, President George W. Bush, this Administration and the Department of Labor recognize the hard work—and the danger—that police officers face every day. You not only work to keep our streets, neighborhoods and communities safe, but you are also the front-line troops in the war on terrorism here at home. On behalf of the President and this Administration, I want to thank you and every police officer for your courageous service to our country during these challenging times.

The Department of Labor understands that police officers are often called upon to work long hours and take double shifts. So, when the Department began the long overdue process of updating the nation's overtime rules, your needs were a priority.

And thanks to the constructive engagement of the Fraternal Order of Police in the rulemaking process, the right to overtime for police is clearly protected and strengthened in the new rules the Department announced this week. And for the first time in history the overtime rights of your brothers and sisters on the front lines—firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and public safety employees—are also fully protected.

But, I have to tell you that I was outraged to learn that one national labor leader has said that our work to protect overtime for America's first responders was simply fixing “a public relations problem.”

Well, let me assure you, once again, that President Bush, this Administration and the Department of Labor recognize the critical nature of your work. And protecting the overtime of America's finest protects America and makes our nation more secure.

So, thank you, Chuck, for all you have done to help the Department of Labor craft well-informed and fair overtime rules. Chuck Canterbury and the FOP are well known for bringing facts and constructive solutions to the table—not rhetoric and political maneuvering. That's why you are respected. That's why you get results. And that's why police officers trust the FOP to look out for their interests.

The new rules we announced this week guarantee and strengthen overtime rights for more American workers than ever before. They modernize and clarify overtime regulations that were first created in 1938. The old regulations were so outdated that they created a legal nightmare. Many white-collar workers were forced to go to court to find out if they were eligible for overtime. Overtime complaints now generate more federal class action lawsuits than employment discrimination complaints.

That is why the Department developed these new overtime rules.

Under the old regulations, only workers making less than $8,060 were guaranteed overtime. Now, workers earning up to $23,660 are guaranteed overtime—regardless of their job title or responsibilities. Under these new guidelines, a total of 6.7 million workers will gain overtime protection or have their overtime protection strengthened.

Unfortunately, these new rules have been unfairly characterized as taking away overtime pay from millions of Americans, when the exact opposite is true.

With these rules, workers will clearly know their rights and employers will know their responsibilities. And this Administration—which has set new records for aggressive Wage and Hour enforcement—will have strong new standards in place to better protect workers' pay.

That's great news for American workers … and police officers.

Everyone can learn more about these new rules by going to our new overtime security Web site at www.dol.gov/fairpay . The Web site also tells workers how to file a complaint with the Department of Labor if they believe they are improperly being denied overtime.

Now I'd like to introduce Wage and Hour Administrator, Tammy McCutcheon. Tammy has led the effort to make these historic changes to strengthen overtime for America's workers. I understand she is on the agenda to give you a detailed briefing later today about the final regulations and how they strengthen overtime for police. But Tammy, would you please come up and say a few words now.

Now, I'd be happy to take a few questions.

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