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Hurricane Charley had a way of overshadowing just about everything last week, including one of the U.S. Department of Labor's big moments in the sun.
In advance of today's sweeping overhaul of overtime regulations, the biggest change to the system in 50 years, Labor officials planned to be out in force last week answering questions. Their chief goal was to refute the charge of labor unions that the changes will strip overtime protections for millions in the work force, from nurses to retail assistants to journalists.
A long-planned highlight of the week: U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao would hold a mid week teleconference with reporters around the country.
That was before Charley.
A day before the Wednesday conference, reporters were told that Chao would be unavailable and her deputy, Steven Law, would fill in. The reason? Chao had been dispatched to Florida to visit victims and announce a $50-million grant to provide unemployment assistance and training for Floridians whose jobs were affected by the hurricane.