Business Groups Follow States in Suing to Overturn New Overtime Rule

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America Inc. and some 50 other business groups filed suit on Sept. 20 to overturn a controversial rule from the Department of Labor (DOL), set to take effect on Dec. 1, that raises the salary threshold for overtime exemption from $23,660 a year to $47, 476 annually. The legal action joins a lawsuit filed the same day by the attorneys-general of 21 states targeting the overtime rule. “Once again, President Obama is trying to unilaterally rewrite the law,” said Texas Attorney-General Ken Paxton in defending the states' action. Countered DOL Secretary Thomas Perez:“We are confident in the legality of all aspects of our final overtime rule.”