The concept refers to a proposal or policy that eliminates or reduces the tax burden on earnings derived from working beyond standard hours. As an example, an individual who typically works 40 hours per week and then works an additional 10 hours might not be required to pay certain taxes, such as income tax or payroll tax, on those additional 10 hours’ worth of earnings.
The potential benefits of such a policy include incentivizing workers to increase their productivity and employers to offer more overtime opportunities. It could also provide a boost to the income of hourly wage earners, particularly in sectors that frequently require employees to work extended hours. Historically, proposals to reduce tax burdens on specific types of income have been used to stimulate economic activity and encourage certain behaviors, like investment or, in this case, increased labor supply.