Can my employer force me to take comp time as payment instead of overtime pay?

Jombalaya

I work in a 911 call center for a city. Recently the bosses have told us that we must take comp time as payment instead of overtime pay. I'm pretty sure this is illegal but all I've found on google so far is a lot of stuff with how companies "may" do this or "may" do that. Can someone please point me at something that says in no uncertain terms that I can't be forced to take comp time as compensation?

Blarghy

Call your local employment standards or labor board office and ask them. Employment laws vary widely by location.

zepherin

If you are a bonafide government employee they can make you take comp time.
At a state level for emergency response employees, they can give you comp time in lieu of overtime.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/553.24
https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs7.pdf