It's not often that a policy wonk at a think tank puts an idea out there that gets picked up by the White House. But the hope that it will happen it is why we all do this work. And sometimes, the stars align.

In a Jan. 10 New York Times op-ed, Ross Eisenbrey, Vice President of the Economic Policy Institute (and a Center for Effective Government Board member), argued that "It's Time to Update Overtime" and urged the president to change the overtime salary threshold to $970 a week, from $455 a week (just $2 a week more than a poverty-level income for a family of four).

Today, President Obama ordered the Labor Department to overhaul the rules for paying overtime – so that millions more low-wage workers can qualify for overtime pay (1.5 times their hourly wage) if they work more than 40 hours a week. I have it on the best inside authority that the president's advisors saw the op-ed and put it on their list of "things the president can do to help American workers without waiting for Congress."

For the best week in Washington wonkdom – kudos and congratulations, Ross!