Is the comp time logged? If not then the rule makes sense because unscrupulous employers will never let someone use their comp time.
True enough, but I'm tellin' ya, this law takes away all of the flexibility of both the worker and employer.
I've worked in some miserable places, long (100, 120 hours) weeks. IT is like that, sometimes. However, the same place where I worked stupid long hours, I also worked a lot of 20 and 30 hour weeks. And, no matter what the hours were, if lunch ran a little long, or my kid had to go to the doctor, or if work was done and I was ready to knock off after lunch .... I just did it. No questions asked.
Actually, all of the places I've worked are like that. Been in IT for well over 20 years. When things break, it gets busy. When they're not broken - everyone can take a deep breath.
Nothing good is going to come out of this law. For people who are imagining all of the OT they'll get....it won't happen, much. If companies need to pay for it, 40 hours will be the standard, period, with a little bleedover in emergencies. IF you need to be at work by 8:00, you'll be there. Not 7:00 if it's more convenient, or 8:30 if traffic was bad. And, you'll leave at 5:00. Imagine working with someone on the East Coast on a critical project, and having them say, "Oop, it's 5:02. I need to get out of here. We can pick this up Monday, right?" Any company in more than one time zone will have their work come to a screeching halt, as the globe rotates.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but, would you like a couple hours of OT here and there, or the freedom to say, "Hey, my kid's Christmas concert is this afternoon and I'd like to go see it. No problem, right?" "No worries, see you tomorrow..."