A White House official says President Barack Obama will direct the Labor Department to strengthen overtime pay protections for millions of workers.

The directive is meant to help salaried workers, such as fast-food shift supervisors or convenience store managers, who may be expected to work more than 40 hours a week without receiving overtime pay.

For example, the Labor Department could raise the pay threshold for workers covered by overtime rules. Currently, salaried workers who make more than $455 per week are exempt from overtime.

It’s the latest move in Obama’s self-described “year of action,” a series of economy-focused executive decisions that don’t require congressional approval.

The White House official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the directive on the record before the president’s announcement, expected Thursday.

(AP)