If given the choice between receiving compensatory time off or overtime pay, a majority of human resource professionals would take the former, according to a recent Compensation.BLR.com poll.
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The poll found that 61 percent of respondents would take comp time, and 39 percent would take overtime pay.
President Bush has urged Congress to pass legislation that would allow employers to offer compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay.
Under current rules, only state and local government employers can offer employees comp time. Compensatory time allows employees to take paid time off at 1.5 times the number of overtime hours worked instead of being paid the overtime premium. Bush says his plan would include worker protections, such as a mandate that comp-time arrangements be voluntary.
Critics contend that if comp time were allowed in the private sector, employers would pressure workers to accept comp time instead of overtime pay. They also argue that employers would be able to delay employees' use of accrued comp time.
The Compensation.BLR.com poll included 360 respondents.