H.R. 5166, or the 'Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017', is a bill proposing a change to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The change would allow workers in the private sector to choose to take extra time off instead of receiving extra pay for overtime work. This is meant to give workers more flexibility to handle personal and family situations.
H.R. 5166 was introduced in the 119th Congress by David Joyce (Republican) and is currently listed as “Introduced”. It is classified under the Economics and Public Finance policy area, one of 42 bills in that area we track this Congress.
David Joyce is the sponsor of 7 bills in our database this Congress, so H.R. 5166 is part of a broader legislative agenda rather than a one-off proposal.
FEC records show David Joyce received $75 million from industries this bill affects, led by Securities & Investment.
Senate lobbying disclosures list 15 organizations lobbying on this bill’s issue area.
Our conflict-of-interest analysis rates H.R. 5166 7/10 (high risk), higher than 98% of analyzed bills; the average in Economics and Public Finance is 3.1/10.
Supporters of the bill in the media argue that it provides much-needed flexibility to workers, especially those with families. They believe that it empowers employees by giving them the choice between extra pay or extra time off, depending on what suits their needs best. They also appreciate that the bill seems to be a step towards modernizing outdated labor laws.
Critics of the bill in the media worry that it could lead to employers pressuring employees to take time off instead of overtime pay, potentially leading to financial instability for the workers. They argue that the bill does not provide enough protections for workers and could be exploited by companies to save money at the expense of their employees. Some also fear that it could set a precedent for further erosion of labor rights.
The primary potential conflict of interest lies in the overlap between the bill's subject matter and the sponsor's top donors. The bill, H.R. 5166, is related to Financial Services and General Government Appropriations. The sponsor, David Joyce, has received $75,000,000 in donations from the Securities & Investment industry, which is directly related to the bill's subject matter. This could potentially influence the sponsor's decisions and actions regarding the bill. Additionally, there is significant lobbying activity in the bill's policy area, with several organizations spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to potentially influence the outcome of the bill. The total amount spent on lobbying in this policy area is $515,000. Voters should be aware of these potential conflicts of interest and the influence of money in politics.
These industries are both affected by this bill and among the sponsor's top donors.
| Industry | Match Type | Related Subject | Donations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Securities & Investment (F10) | Sector | Economics and Public Finance | $75,000,000 |
| Total from overlapping industries | $75,000,000 | ||
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL RIGHT TO WORK COMMITTEE | THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO WORK COMMITTEE | $150,000 |
| SABINE-NECHES NAVIGATION DISTRICT | MABRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS LLC | $70,000 |
| AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION | AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION | $50,000 |
| CEDAR PORT NAVIGATION AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT | MABRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS LLC | $50,000 |
| LHOIST NORTH AMERICA, INC. | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $50,000 |
| JOHNSTOWN-CAMBRIA COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY & CAMBRIAN HILLS DEVELOPMENT GROUP | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $50,000 |
| THE YATES COMPANIES, INC. | MABRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS LLC | $45,000 |
| HOWMET | CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC. | $40,000 |
| COHNREZNICK LLP | MABRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS LLC | $30,000 |
| GOLDEN PASS LNG TERMINAL LLC - FKA - GOLDEN PASS PRODUCTS LLC | MABRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS LLC | $30,000 |
| ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC | SUSAN PLATT | $30,000 |
| LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY | MABRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS LLC | $20,000 |
| ALLIANCE OF MARINE MAMMAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS | BLUE SKY CAPITOL CONSULTING, LLC | $20,000 |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | undisclosed |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | NATIONAL COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding David Joyce, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)
What does H.R. 5166 do?
H.R. 5166, or the 'Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017', is a bill proposing a change to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The change would allow workers in the private sector to choose to take extra time off instead of receiving extra pay for overtime work. This is meant to give workers more flexibility to handle personal and family situations.
Has H.R. 5166 received a floor vote?
No roll-call vote on H.R. 5166 is recorded in our database yet. Its current status is “Introduced”.
Who funds the sponsor of H.R. 5166?
FEC records show David Joyce received $75 million from industries this bill affects, led by Securities & Investment. Overlap does not imply wrongdoing; it shows where financial interests and legislation intersect.
Does H.R. 5166 have a conflict of interest?
Our conflict-of-interest analysis rates H.R. 5166 7/10 (high risk), higher than 98% of analyzed bills; the average in Economics and Public Finance is 3.1/10. This score reflects overlap between the sponsor’s campaign funding, lobbying activity, and the industries the bill affects. It is a transparency indicator, not an accusation.
What is the status of H.R. 5166?
H.R. 5166 is currently “Introduced” as of our last update on April 10, 2026.
Who sponsored H.R. 5166?
H.R. 5166 was sponsored by David Joyce (Republican).
