Reps. McBride, Casar Call for Holiday Pay for Working People

WASHINGTON, DC - Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.), alongside former labor organizer Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), introduced the Holiday Pay Act - legislation requiring employers to pay workers time and a half for work performed on federal holidays.

"The people who keep our country running on federal holidays deserve more than our gratitude - they deserve fair pay for their work," said Rep. McBride. "The Holiday Pay Act is a commonsense fix to ensure working people are properly compensated for their labor on federal holidays. I am proud to lead this legislation alongside former labor organizer Congressman Casar, and I will continue advancing policies that uplift workers and make life more affordable for neighbors across the First State and the nation."

Currently, there is no federal law requiring employees to receive higher pay for working on a federal holiday. McBride and Casar's bill would fix this issue by putting more money back into the pockets of Americans who have to work instead of spending time with their families and loved ones.

"Americans working through holidays deserve to be paid like it," said Rep. Casar. "The Holiday Pay Act is a simple way to make sure people who sacrifice time with friends and family get paid for their hard work. I am proud to be partnering with my friend Sarah McBride to get this done."

The Holiday Pay Act would require employers to pay workers overtime - at least 1.5 times their regular rate of pay - for work performed on federal holidays. The legislation establishes a federal wage floor and does not prohibit or restrict state laws, local ordinances, or collective bargaining agreements that require higher wage rates.

Under current law, the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require holiday pay for work performed on federal holidays unless those hours also qualify as overtime. While many employers voluntarily provide holiday pay, others still treat it as optional.

The Holiday Pay Act has a strong coalition of support from labor unions and worker advocacy groups including AFL-CIO, SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD), United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), Communications Workers of America (CWA), Iron Workers, Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BLET-IBT), Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED-IBT), Teamsters Rail Conference, United Steelworkers (USW), UNITE HERE, and National Employment Law Project.

"The Holiday Pay Act ensures that hard working Delawareans are rewarded for their efforts while the rest of the workforce is enjoying time off with their families. Local 326 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is proud to support Representative McBride's Holiday Pay Act, requiring companies pay their employees overtime on federal holidays. Working a holiday shift isn't easy. Our members end up missing rest and family and so they deserve to be compensated for their sacrifices. We support this legislation because it will strengthen existing collective bargaining agreements by covering every Federal holidays and because all workers deserve this type of pay protection. Our members aren't afraid of making sacrifices around work schedules, so long as they are treated fairly and paid accordingly. On behalf of our Local 326 members and working people, we thank Representative McBride for her leadership on spotlighting worker dignity and introducing the Holiday Pay Act," said General Teamsters Local 326 President Joseph Smith Jr.

"Working people are living on the edge, working longer and harder than ever before and getting less in return. On holidays, workers across the country clock in so the rest of us can enjoy a day of relaxation or reflection with our families-and their work should be fairly compensated. At a time when working people worry about every bill, every purchase, and every paycheck, the Holiday Pay Act is a basic step toward dignity and respect on the job, ensuring workers get the pay they deserve for the work they do," said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

"Even as many workers across the country are expected to work federal holidays, employers often don't recognize and compensate the sacrifice that those workers are making in missing out on precious time with their families. For workers like the interpreters at LanguageLine Solutions, holiday shifts are often treated as business as usual, despite the personal sacrifices involved," said Director of Government Affairs for the Communication Workers of America Dan Mauer. "The Holiday Pay Act would finally establish a baseline of fairness by requiring at least time-and-a-half pay for holiday work and recognizing the added burden placed on workers who keep essential services running during times when most Americans are able to be with their families. CWA thanks Representatives McBride and Casar for their leadership on this issue, and we urge Congress to act on the bill in a timely way."

Rep. McBride is one of the leading champions in Congress on behalf of working people, focusing on advancing critical components of the care economy, including affordable healthcare, universal childcare, and a $17 federal minimum wage. McBride is an original cosponsor of the PRO Act, which expands and strengthens protections for workers' right to organize a union and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions. She also introduced the Striking and Locked Out Workers Healthcare Protection Act to protect striking or locked-out workers from being cut off from their healthcare.

Building on her efforts in the Delaware State Senate, McBride has continued working to expand access to paid family and medical leave for workers nationwide. She has introduced legislation to strengthen the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), including the FAIR Leave Act, the Flexible Leave Act, and is an original cosponsor of the FAMILY Act, helping ensure workers and their families can access leave when they need it most.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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