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Bronson Considering Restructuring Its Work Week, Pay

Bronson city employees might soon switch from salaried pay to hourly in reaction to new requirements from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The city might also switch from a four-day work week of 10-hour days to a five-day one of eight-hour days.

The Department of Labor requirements — which are collectively called the Overtime Rule and are scheduled to start Dec. 1 — say that the 4.2 million workers in the U.S. who earn less than $47,000 annually are guaranteed overtime pay, regardless if they're on salary or not.

Because Bronson's employees are salaried, they make the same amount whether they work 40 hours or more than that. So by switching to hourly, they would be compensated for the exact time they work. The switch to hourly is something city employees requested, Mayor Bruce Greenlee said.

As for the four-day work week, Greenlee said he's still in favor of it.

“We thought that the 10-hour work day would be something that worked for us,” he said.

The city council is scheduled to vote today at 5:30 p.m. on the work week and pay switches. The meeting will take place at the Dogan Cobb Municipal Building at 660 E. Hathaway Ave. in Bronson.

Other government agencies in Levy County, though, say they aren't considering changes based on the Overtime Rule.

Levy County Superintendent of Schools Robert Hastings said he hasn't heard of the rule.

"I wouldn't have an opinion," he said.

If anyone would be affected by the rule, he added, it would be teachers because they are the ones who often work overtime. But there aren't any plans in the works based on the rule.

Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum said the sheriff's office is aware of the Overtime Rule and that he has received updates on it from the Department of Labor since July 2015.

McCallum said that his office is fortunate because it won't need to make adjustments based on the rule.

“I think we’re good,” he said.

Jarrod is a reporter for WUFT News. He can be reached at news@wuft.org or 352-392-6397.