Synopsis

In this episode of Labor Relations Radio, Evan Armstrong, a spokesperson for the Coalition for Workforce Innovation, as well as Vice President of Workforce and a member of the Government Affairs team for the Retail Industry Leaders Association (or RILA) discusses the status of case involving a Trump-era rule regarding independent contractors, the NLRB general counsel’s efforts to enact card-check, ban captive audience meetings, as well as a host of other labor and employment policy issues affecting the workplace.

Background

Last week, the Department of Labor filed an appeal of a decision by a federal judge in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas which blocked the Biden administration from withdrawing a Trump-era rule that made it easier for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors.

According to Bloomberg Law, the judge “sided with Coalition for Workforce Innovation, a business group whose ranks include gig-economy companies such as Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc.”

The business group sued the DOL, Secretary Marty Walsh, and another agency official on behalf of its members, whose business models largely depend on their ability to classify their workforce as contractors rather than employees entitled to certain wages and benefits. Three groups representing builders, contractors, and financial services firms later joined the lawsuit.

Related links:

* Bloomberg Law: DOL Appeals Decision Reviving Trump Independent Contractor Rule

* Labor Activity In Retail Annual Report: Spring 2022

* Coalition for Workforce Innovation

* Retail Industry Leaders Association

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