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from 2000 to 2011, South Dakota ranked first in the nation for the percentage of working moms. It's time for labor laws to change to meet the needs of families.
• One of the most important parts of this legislation is that it is completely voluntary. Any employees who want to receive cash wages for overtime hours would continue to do so. In fact, workers could change their mind and cash out any accrued comp time whenever they choose.
• We know this works for public-sector employees, so why not give hardworking families the opportunity to decide for themselves what is best for their family? Perhaps you've been in a situation when you desired an extra afternoon off to clean out the garage, take a child to a doctor's appointment, or to even spend time visiting your aging parents. Sometimes time is more valuable than money, and this bill gives working moms and dads an opportunity to have more time to take care of the kids and manage hectic family schedules.
• I know first-hand how difficult it is to not be there for a concert, basketball game or to patch up a scraped knee. As I've met with South Dakotans throughout my time in office, many working moms and dads have expressed to me they wish life were just a little bit easier. That's the goal of this legislation - to make life a little bit easier by allowing non-salaried employees some additional flexibility to spend time at home.
• If you or someone you know would appreciate the option to decide between cash wages or paid time off, I hope you'll reach out to my office to share your story. To contact my office and share how this flexibility would benefit you, I encourage you to call any one of my state offices or my office in Washington, D.C. Aberdeen office is 605-262-2862. Toll-Free is 1-855-225-2801. Washington DC office is 202-225-2801.