Department of Labor

New Congress on Track to Block Long-Sought Workplace and Public Health Protections

Leave a Comment / workplace safety / By max cyril

An estimated 10,000 Americans die from asbestos-caused diseases each year, a figure that’s considered conservative. Asbestos is no longer mined in the United States but it still exists in products here, perpetuating exposure, especially for workers in construction and other heavy industries. In June 2016, after years of debate, the country’s major chemical regulation law …

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Five Groups of Americans Who’ll Get Shafted Under Trump’s Hiring Freeze

Leave a Comment / President Trump / By max cyril

Donald Trump, in what’s been hyped as an “unprecedented” move, has instituted a freeze on the hiring of federal employees. Hyperbole aside (it’s hardly unprecedented, since Ronald Reagan did the same thing on his first day in office), one thing is already clear: this will hurt a lot of people. Trump’s order exempts military personnel, …

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Worker advocates are getting under labor nominee Andy Puzder’s thin, thin skin

Leave a Comment / Department of Labor / By max cyril

Donald Trump proposes to put fast food CEO Andy Puzder in charge of the Department of Labor, where he could bring his program of wage theft, automation, and sexism to workers nationwide. Unions and worker advocacy groups are not so enthusiastic about this proposal, and one of the ways they’ve tried to register their concern …

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Trump’s pick for Labor Secretary is a big ‘screw you’ to the Fight for $15

Leave a Comment / Department of Labor / By max cyril

In an otherwise grim period for the U.S. labor movement, the fast food industry has been a hot spot for organizing activity. For the past four years, the union-backed Fight for 15 movement and allied groups have staged a series of nationwide, day-long strikes and protests in support of higher wages and unionization for fast …

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This week in the war on workers: What happens if Obama’s overtime expansion is reversed?

Leave a Comment / President Obama, President Trump / By max cyril

President Obama’s expansion of overtime pay goes into effect on December 1. But what happens if it gets rolled back in 2017? Here are some of the Department of Labor’s takeaways from a Congressional Budget Office report: CBO finds that reversing the rule would strip nearly 4 million workers of overtime protections. According to the report, …

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Think It’s Tough for Labor Now? Just Wait Until Trump Takes Office in January

Leave a Comment / President Trump / By max cyril

In 63 days, organized labor is going to find itself in a new political reality, which it seems totally unprepared for. Donald Trump will be president; the Republicans will control the House and Senate and one of Trump’s first tasks will be to nominate a new Supreme Court justice. Though Trump was tight-lipped about specific …

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House Republicans Have A Temper Tantrum Over Rule That Bans Financial Advisers From Scamming Retirees

Leave a Comment / retirement / By max cyril

The Department of Labor (DOL) has finalized rules that require financial advisers who help people make investments for retirement to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own. But House Republicans aren’t letting the rule go into effect without a fight. On Thursday, the House voted on a resolution that would effectively block the new …

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The Makers of Those Cheesy Anti-Union Movies Will Soon Be More Transparent, Thanks to a New Labor Department Rule

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / By max cyril

You’ve probably watched one before. An anti-union video so painfully corny, you probably had to turn it off after a few seconds. Anti-union videos—like this one from Target—fliers and other materials are the bread and butter of consulting firms who specialize in “union avoidance.” A nefarious industry that steps in for employers and attempts to squelch …

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Obama administration cracking down on bosses who use temp workers to dodge labor laws

Changes to Overtime Rules Getting Closer: Act Now!

Leave a Comment / Department of Labor, overtime pay, Uncategorized / By max cyril

Recently, the Department of Labor proposed a rule to bring overtime up-to-date. If the proposal goes into effect, an additional 5 million white-collar workers are expected to benefit from overtime. The Department of Labor wants to hear your voice on this proposal and until this Friday, September 4, 2015, they are taking comments on the …

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