OBBBA - Week 1: What Doesn’t Change

(But Would Have Without the Bill)

We now pause your regularly scheduled payroll literacy series to bring you… legislation.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is massive... spanning payroll, taxes, benefits, and more. But here’s the first truth you need to know: not everything changes. In fact, some of the most important paycheck protections are staying exactly the same—thanks to OBBBA.

This week, we’re breaking down the “constants.” Because sometimes, what doesn’t change is just as important as what does.

What Stays the Same

1. Your Base Pay

OBBBA doesn’t touch your hourly rate or salary.

Those are still determined by your employer, market conditions, and labor law—not the bill.

2. Federal & State Minimum Wage Rules

The federal minimum wage hasn’t changed.

States are still free to set their own higher thresholds, just like before.

3. Overtime Pay Requirement

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rules for time-and-a-half after 40 hours remain intact.

OBBBA doesn’t replace them—it works WITH them.

4. Existing Payroll Deductions

Benefits like health insurance, retirement contributions, and pre-tax commuter deductions stay on your pay stub, just as they did before.

5. Your FICA Contributions

Social Security and Medicare taxes aren’t going anywhere.

OBBBA doesn’t repeal FICA, and yes—you’ll still see those percentages on every paycheck.

What Almost Changed (But Didn’t)

Here’s where OBBBA really matters: it blocked some proposals that could have reshaped payroll in confusing ways.

• Nationwide tip pooling mandates were on the table but scrapped. Your tips remain yours, not redistributed.

• Employer “optional” overtime reporting was proposed but rejected. Overtime remains clearly tracked and enforced.

• Automatic garnishment expansions were pared back. Under OBBBA, you’ll actually get more notice, not less.

So... while it might look like “nothing happened,” what actually happened was preservation. OBBBA kept the ground steady under your paycheck.

Why This Matters for You

It’s easy to dismiss a law if you don’t see instant changes on your pay stub. But OBBBA is partly about stability:

* No scrambling to adjust to half-baked wage rules

* No confusing shifts in how overtime is reported

* No surprise new deductions without transparency

In other words, your paycheck still looks familiar—and that’s by design.

Bottom Line

The OBBBA isn’t just about flashy reforms. It’s also about making sure the basics of your paycheck stay predictable and reliable. And in a world where payroll often feels like a moving target, not moving is actually a win.

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Next week: we’ll dig into the changes that do hit fast—because some parts of OBBBA will be visible on your pay stub sooner than you think. 👀