Showing 7 posts in Trump Administration.

DOL Withdraws Trump-Era Independent Contractor Rule

During the Trump administration, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new rule regarding the classification of independent contractors. Designed to streamline how a company determines whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor, the rule narrowed the factors in the "economic realities" test and focused the analysis on the two "core factors" of control and the opportunity for profit and loss. The proposed regulations were set to go into effect on March 8, 2021. With the change in administration, the DOL initially pushed the effective date back to May 7, 2021, to allow for further review and consideration. The DOL announced on May 5, 2021, that it is withdrawing the rule altogether. More ›

DOL Delays Effective Date of Test for Determining Independent Contractor Status

Under the administration of former President Donald Trump, the Department of Labor (DOL) proposed new regulations to simplify the test for determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. The regulations were set to go into effect on March 8, 2021. More ›

How Employers Can Prepare for the Upcoming H-1B Lottery

On March 1, 2021, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will open up the electronic registration process for cab-subject H-1B petitions, including those filed for the advanced degree exemption. The registration process will remain open until March 20; the registration fee for each H-1B candidate is $10. The USCIS will notify employers by March 31 and let them know whether their petitions have been selected in the lottery. If chosen, employers will have up to 90 days to file an H-1B petition. More ›

SCOTUS Reviewing Standard of Proof in Workplace Allegations of Racial Discrimination

For the last 150 years, the "motivating factor" standard of proof test was the pinnacle of what a plaintiff had to meet to prove allegations of racial discrimination in the workplace. However, the U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in a case that will hold the "motivating factor" test to a much higher "but for" standard of proof in order to prevail in a racial discrimination suit. A decision in this case could have far-reaching effects on both the employment and economic sectors. More ›

NLRB Ruling: Simply Misclassifying Workers is Not an Unfair Labor Practice

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) continues to retreat from its previously expansive approach to what might be considered interference with Section 7 rights under the National Labor Relations Act (the "Act"). Followers of Hinshaw's blog submissions will recall the NLRB gave a very broad interpretation during the Obama era to the scope of Section 8(a)(1) of the Act. An August 29, 2019 ruling from the NLRB in Velox Express, Inc. vs. Jeannie Edge further highlights how this is certainly not true of the Trump-era Board. More ›

Obama Administration’s Overtime Rule Invalidated

A federal judge from Texas struck down the Obama administration’s overtime rule, finding the salary-level test set forth by the Department of Labor did not account for an analysis of an employee’s job duties for purposes of determining whether an employee is exempt from overtime pay.  A copy of the court's opinion is available here. More ›

House Passes American Health Care Act: Potential Impact on Employer Plans

Earlier this afternoon the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA).  While the AHCA must still get through the Senate and eventually be signed by the President before becoming law, with the passage of the AHCA employers now have a first look at how the health care landscape may change under the Trump Administration. More ›