DOL Proposes New Rule to Change How Workers are Classified
October 26, 2022EXCITING NEWS
April 24, 2023| Yesterday, President Biden appointed Julie Su as the next Deputy Labor Secretary succeeding Martin J. Walsh, who announced his retirement effect in March. Ms. Su comes to this position with substantial experience running the California Labor Department – probably the most pro-employee state in the union. Ms. Su has spent her career fighting for disadvantaged workers including domestic and migrant workers and sweat shop labor, she promotes policies that advocate rights of workers over independent contractors and supports union activities. She has also advocated for the rights of immigrants serving as litigation director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles, the nation’s largest non-profit civil rights organization devoted to issues affecting the Asian American community. Su is known for pioneering a multi-strategy approach that combines successful impact litigation with multiracial organizing, community education, policy reform, coalition building and media work. |
| What does this mean for you? It’s time to look at your workforce. Are your workers properly classified? Are your independent contractors really independent? Are your exempt employees truly exempt or are they entitled to overtime? Does your workforce have a risk of union activity? These are the questions you or your HR department should be asking. It’s time to evaluate your workforce, your policies and procedures. In addition to looking at your legal obligations, employers should be focused on their DEI initiatives Building inclusive, diverse workplaces will not only build a better culture, but will improve performance through the quality of social connections, openness to learning, agility and depth of decision making. |
Julie Su named
Deputy Labor Secretary
| While Ms. Su is to be commended for her initiatives in protecting the rights of immigrant, low-wage and trafficked workers, broader applications of policies under her leadership may have rippling effects on your workforce. If all this seems overwhelming or you do not know where to begin, we can help. Loutel offers a full service law firm with a full service DEIB consulting firm that sits at the intersection of where employment law meets workplace culture, offering integrated legal and DEI solutions that fit your company’s needs. |