Workplace Flexibility Act

The Workplace Flexibility Act (S. 624) proposes to update the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to give private-sector employees more options for managing their work schedules. Under this bill, workers could choose to receive paid compensatory time off instead of traditional cash overtime pay for hours worked beyond the standard 40-hour week. Additionally, it would allow for "biweekly work programs," where an employee could work up to 50 hours in one week and fewer hours the next, provided the total does not exceed 80 hours over a two-week period.

For the average citizen, this bill aims to provide greater control over work-life balance by allowing extra hours worked to be "banked" for future time off. Participation in these programs must be voluntary, and the bill includes protections to prevent employers from coercing workers into choosing time off over cash pay. Furthermore, if an employer were to go bankrupt, any unused compensatory time would be treated as a high-priority claim for unpaid wages to ensure workers are compensated for their time.