Whatever happened to Overtime Pay? [View All]

[Philosoraptor]

I've always been self employed, but have worked in the mainstream in my earlier days, and they used to have a thing called overtime. If you wanted to, you could work more than the 40 hour week and get time and a half. Some bosses demanded it, some employees asked for it.

But my wife has worked in banks and retail for many years and the places where she has worked seem to avoid paying anyone, any overtime. In fact they'll hire more people to do less, and pay them all for their 40 hours.

Does the overtime system still work like it used to back in the sixties? What are the overall statistics and how much has it changed, and how does it affect the economy?

Inquiring minds want to know.