President Obama announced that the administration will change regulations to allow overtime pay for managers who make up to $970 per week. The current level is $455 per week, which makes the overtime regulation largely meaningless. Indeed, this regulation has lost much of its effectiveness since 1975, when it applied to 65% of management. Now, under the current level, the overtime requirement only applies to 12% of managerial workers. See CNN news report. The increase to $970 per month means overtime will apply to 47% of managers.

For decades, this overtime provision has provided a scam for employers. They could often save money by re-naming a position as managerial, assign some minimal supervisory duties,  and thereby avoid having to pay overtime. The current salary level of $455 per week was set by Pres. Bush in 2004.