U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, was one of the senators leading 20 of his colleagues this week in asking the U.S. Labor Department to withdraw a proposed rule that would severely impact who is eligible for overtime pay.

Under President Donald Trump and Labor Secretary Alexander Acostsa the department has planned to set the salary threshold under which workers would be guaranteed overtime pay at $35,308, down from $47,476 set by the previous administration.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, who joined with Brown and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, in leading the effort, has said the department used flawed methodology in the rule and that it is not in the spirit of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Brown has said this change would rule out millions of workers nationwide from stronger overtime protections.

Trump ran on a message that he would be an advocate for working class voters in states like Ohio, but this rule change flies in the face of that message.

Overtime requirements are there to make sure that there is a motivator for employees to hire more workers and not overwork their existing employees.

We commend Brown and his colleagues for challenging this change and urge the administration to reconsider this idea.