By: P. Scott Shearer
5/29/2020
Support small meatpackers working overtime
Many small meat plants are working overtime as a result of the closure or reduced capacity at large plants due to the impact of coronavirus. This has resulted in increased costs for these small plants because USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service charges overtime fees for food inspectors.
U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Angie Craig (D-MN) have introduced the “Small Packer Overtime and Holiday Fee Relief COVID-19 Act” to provide assistance for small plants working overtime as a result of COVID-19.
Under the legislation, meatpacking plants with fewer than 10 employees would be required to pay 25% of overtime and holiday fees and the FSIS would pay the additional 75%. Plants with 10 to 500 employees would be required to pay 70% of overtime fees with the FSIS paying the additional 30%.