Nearly all hourly workers are guaranteed overtime when they work more than 40 hours. The guarantee also applies to workers who earn an annual salary of less than $36,000.
But that level hasn’t been adjusted in recent years to keep up with inflation, according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy. The center noted that during the 1970s, 65% of salaried Mainers earned below the salary cap and were thus entitled to overtime. Today, 20% of those earning salaries receive that benefit.