https://www.uschamber.com/employment-policy

Employment Policy

The Employment Policy division regularly interacts with Congressional staff, numerous Federal agencies and many national coalitions (some of which are chaired by the Chamber) to help define and shape national labor, immigration and employee benefit policy.

Employment Policy Priorities

Commonsense Immigration Reform

Commonsense immigration reform will boost economic growth, create jobs, and spur innovation and entrepreneurship. It will also reaffirm America's legacy of being an open and welcoming country where anyone who works hard and follows the rules can achieve his or her dreams.

Throughout our history, America has attracted and welcomed the most talented and the hardest working people to our shores. But today our immigration system is broken and failing to meet the needs of our society, our economy, our businesses, and our workers.

To help advance comprehensive reform that includes border security, the Chamber's Employment Policy division provides leadership to a broad coalition including businesses, labor, law enforcement, the faith-based community, and various immigrant-advocacy organizations.

Though there may be several different approaches to fixing our system, meaningful and lasting reform can only be achieved through bipartisan legislation, which is the ultimate goal of the Chamber’s immigration program.

Learn more about what the Chamber is doing on immigration.

Department of Labor

The U.S. Chamber believes the Department of Labor (DOL) must partner with both employers and employees to effectively advance the goals of the wide array of laws it administers and enforces.

The DOL oversees such diverse areas as minimum wage, overtime, worker safety in general industry as well as mining, federal contractor compliance with affirmative action requirements, employee leave requirements under the Family and Medical Leave Act, labor union financial accountability, and contractor wage payments on federally funded or supported construction and service jobs. Employees depend on the Department to safeguard their rights, while employers look to the DOL for information and guidance on meeting their obligations.

The Employment Policy Division works with many of DOL’s component agencies including the Wage and Hour Division, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs, the Office of Labor-Management Standards, and the Office of the Solicitor.

Learn more about what we're doing on DOL issues.

Restoring Common Sense at the NLRB

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was created in 1935 to be a neutral arbiter in the field of labor law.

During the Obama administration, however, the agency engaged in an aggressive one-sided agenda aimed at growing labor unions at any cost. Rather than act as an impartial referee, it issued many decisions that overturned decades of well settled precedents intended to give unions an advantage in organizing campaigns.

Restoring the appropriate balance to labor law will provide much-needed stability, and certainty for American businesses and workers.

Fortunately, the NLRB has new members, including Chairman John Ring and a new General Counsel, who have already begun the work of revisiting Obama-era precedents.

Learn more about what we're doing on issues related to NLRB.

Protecting Retirement Security

The Employment Policy Division is committed to protecting the retirement security of America’s workforce, and promoting policies that will continue the success of the private retirement system.

We seek to maintain a sound legal framework that encourages employers to offer retirement plans, address the demographic challenges facing the system, and encourage innovation and flexibility to help the private retirement system reach additional types of workers.

Learn more about what we're doing on retirement issues.

State Labor Issues

Advocates of increased regulation are not satisfied with just pursuing action at the federal level. They have also taken their agenda to state and even local government.

In the process, they are creating a patchwork of different standards that multi-state employers can find difficult to meet. Significant state and local regulations include:

- Minimum Wage
- Misclassification
- Wage Theft
- Paid Leave
- Regulating Pre-Employment Inquiries
- Equal Pay
- Labor Peace
- Predictive Scheduling
- Opportunity to Work
- Overtime

Learn more about what we're doing on the state level.

Combating Human Trafficking

Click here to learn more about what we’re doing to combat human trafficking.

Recent Activity

Press ReleaseMar 06, 2019 - 9:30am

U.S. Chamber Statement for the Record on House Judiciary Committee Hearing Entitled “Protecting Dreamers and TPS Recipients”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement for the record in anticipation of today’s hearing entitled “Protecting Dreamers and TPS Recipients” being held in the House Judiciary Committee...

Above the FoldFeb 08, 2019 - 3:30pm

Increasing the Minimum Wage: Focus on Economics, Not Politics

Economic growth is what allows employers to pay higher wages, not mandates from on high.

Marc Freedman

ArticleFeb 05, 2019 - 6:00pm

So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen II

The former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, Mark Gaston Pearce, today announced that he was withdrawing his name...

Sean P. Redmond

ArticleJan 29, 2019 - 11:00am

Wet floor sign reads: "Caution: Vague joint employer standard"

NLRB Joint Employer Comment Period Closes

The period for submitting comments to the National Labor Relations Board regarding its proposed joint employer rule closed January 28...

Sean P. Redmond

CommentJan 28, 2019 - 6:00pm

Comments on the National Labor Relations Board's Proposed Rulemaking, “The Standard For Determining Joint-Employer Status”

On January 28, 2019, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce submitted comments in response to the National Labor Relations Board's proposed rulemaking, "The Standard for Determining Joint-Employer Status."

EventJan 24, 2019 - 9:00am to 11:30am

Best Practices to Combat Human Trafficking

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention month. Please join us on January 24 as the U.S. Chamber hosts an event highlighting the key role businesses play in preventing human trafficking. The event will feature top experts from government and the private sector who will discuss tools and best practices as well as innovative approaches to supply chain management.

ArticleJan 22, 2019 - 6:00pm