In Answer to SM's questions about H.R. 1406

I didn’t want the answers buried because the original post is pretty far down the page.

You don't HAVE to take the compensatory option. You volunteer for it. If you want your OT paid in cash the week you work it, then so be it.

You said: "One other thing I'm not finding or maybe it's there and I don't understand the legal jargon: Is the OT that is converted into PTO time and a half? Do I get a half hour extra for every hour of OT?"

Yes, that's my impression. You get a half hour extra for every hour of OT. You also pointed out that 160 hours would be 6 weeks....is it? I'm a very poor mathematician and I thought it would be 4 weeks. How did you come by the 6 weeks?

If an employer couldn't take away PTO benefits or any other benefits as you state, then this Act wouldn't change anything.

The major thing is -- This bill does NOT trash or delete anything from the original the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. It only AMENDS SEC. 7.  It doesn't take away from any parts of the original Act.

H.R. 1406 ADDS to the Sec.7 Compensatory Time. Before it only went up to Sec.7(r). H.R. 1406 begins as Sec.7(s).

If you really, really have time and energy, the link for the original Act can be found here and Sec.7 can be found starting on pg 10 (but not Sec.7(r). Section (r) was amended and added in 2010 and has to do with nursing mothers:

http://www.cocra.org/reporters_ref/Employment%20Labor/FairLaborStandAct.pdf