A coalition of job providers and employees today called on House and Senate leaders and Governor Granholm to protect 370,000 Michigan jobs by trying again for immediate effect on House Bill 6213.

"Remedial legislation to protect overtime provisions must be given immediate effect so it can be in place by October 1, 2006 to protect Michigan workers' income, protect flexibility and freedom in workers' schedules, and to help Michigan job providers remain competitive with out-of-state companies," said Bonnie Bochniak, Director of Government Relations for the Michigan Business and Professional Association and the Michigan Food and Beverage Association.

"With Michigan's unemployment rate among the highest in the country, the legislature needs to give House Bill 6213 immediate effect and the Governor needs to sign it into law so that we can get Michigan workers back on the job and keep existing jobs from being chased out of the state," said Charles Owens, Michigan State Director for the National Federal of Independent Business.

House Bill 6213 was approved by the Senate and House earlier this week. However, Democratic senators and representatives voted against immediate effect on the bill, which is designed to correct a problem in the state's minimum wage overtime law. Without immediate effect, the problem would not be corrected until April 1 of next year, putting hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk this fall.

"The MEDC has been running television commercials saying the State of Michigan wants to give employers the upper hand," said Kelly Johnston, Director of Government Relations for the Michigan Movers Association. "We're asking House and Senate Democrats to support immediate effect and asking Governor Granholm to extend a helping hand by signing this important bill into law."

"This legislation does not deny eligibility to overtime pay for even one Michigan worker who is currently receiving it," concluded Alan Canady, Clark Hill PLC, representing Perfection Bakeries. "It should be a no-brainer."

The Coalition to Protect Overtime & Other FLSA Exemptions was established in March of 2006 to support remedial legislation to protect overtime and other FLSA exemptions for Michigan workers.

  Members of the Coalition to Protect Overtime & Other FLSA Exemptions:

  ABC Warehouse
  American Society of Employers
  Art Van Furniture
  Ascension Health/St. John Health
  AT&T Michigan
  Auto Dealers of Michigan LLC
  Beaumont Hospitals
  Commuter Express
  Dart Container Corporation
  Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
  Gardner-White Furniture
  J.B. Hunt
  Meijer
  Michigan Association of Home Builders
  Michigan Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
  Michigan Association of Realtors
  Michigan Bankers Association
  Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association
  Michigan Boating Industries Association
  Michigan Business and Professional Association
  Michigan Grocers Association
  Michigan Food and Beverage Association
  Michigan Chamber of Commerce
  Michigan Health and Hospital Association
  Michigan Licensed Beverage Association
  Michigan Manufacturers Association
  Michigan Manufactured Housing, RV & Campground Association
  Michigan Movers Association
  Michigan Press Association
  Michigan Railroads Association
  Michigan Restaurant Association
  Michigan Soft Drink Association
  Michigan Trucking Association
  National Association of Theatre Owners
  National Federation of Independent Business
  Perfection Bakeries
  Quicken Loans/Rock Financial
  Small Business Association of Michigan
  Spartan Stores
  Spectrum Health

SOURCE: Coalition to Protect Overtime & Other FLSA Exemptions

CONTACT: Wendy Block of Michigan Chamber of Commerce, +1-517-371-7678