The blue-ing of the white collar

In overtime cases, Depression-era laws aimed at factories and textile mills are being applied in a 21st century economy, raising fundamental questions about the rules of the modern workplace. As the country has shifted from manufacturing to services, for example, which employees deserve the protections these laws offer? Generally, workers with jobs that require independent judgment have not been entitled to overtime pay. But with businesses embracing efficiency and quality-control initiatives, more and more tasks, even in offices, are becoming standardized, tightly choreographed routines. That’s just one of several factors blurring the traditional blue-collar/white-collar divide. Then there’s technology: In an always-on, telecommuting world, when does the workday begin and end?

(Source: Business Week, “Wage Wars”)

I found this interesting on several levels.  First, I know I’ve been in positions where this was violated.  Second, I don’t think a lot of companies, particularly small businesses, are aware of these laws.  Third, I have always had a visceral reaction against punching a clock even though my white collar positions have not generally offered the discretion many blue collar workers have.