The first eight months of the Trump administration have been marked by a continuous attack on existing worker protection laws. Congress and the administration have weakened protections to ensure Americans are safe on the job; receive fair pay and benefits; can save for retirement; can access high-quality training programs; have a voice on the job; and are not discriminated against at work.
One of the latest attempts to dismantle worker protection laws is the poorly named “Save Local Business Act,” introduced by U.S. House lawmakers in late July. While the legislation is cast as a boon for small-business owners, it is actually an effort to unravel 80-year-old worker safeguards, specifically “joint-employer” responsibility requirements that help to hold companies that cheat workers out of earned wages or violate the right of workers to come together in unions accountable for those actions. In tandem with this effort, President Donald Trump is using his executive authority to ensure that his administration does not enforce these long-standing workplace laws.
The above excerpt was originally published in CAP Action.
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