Juneau -- The Alaska Senate Friday unanimously passed House Bill 61, which will allow airline employees to trade shifts with each other without invoking overtime pay requirements.

"This bill addresses concerns brought to me by a group of airline employees and enjoys the support of virtually the entire commercial airline industry in Alaska, the Alaska Air Carriers Association, and airline employees," said Representative Andrew Halcro (R-Anchorage), sponsor of HB 61. "It allows airline employees to trade shifts so they can attend their children's school activities, allow for family medical emergencies, or just take a long weekend fishing."

Currently, Alaska is the only western state which requires daily overtime. House Bill 61 will legalize the common practice of shift trading among airline employees, without which the available pool of substitute workers is narrowed.

"Usually, shift trading is done with the tacit approval of employers," Halcro said. "HB 61 will provide a mechanism for their employees to do it legally. Without it, employer airlines which allow their employees to trade shifts could be violating the law."

House Bill 61 will be reconsidered by the Senate before being sent to the Governor for signature.

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