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.

Recent Activity

ArticleNov 09, 2018 - 3:00pm

Labor Policy and the Midterm Elections

After months of anticipation, the midterm elections have come and gone, and there were quite a few noteworthy developments...

Sean P. Redmond

ReportNov 01, 2018 - 3:30pm

Going for Broke: Labor’s Legislative Wish List

Since peaking at roughly 35% of the workforce in the 1950s, union membership has steadily declined, and in 2017 it stood at just 10.7%, with a mere 6.5% membership rate in the private sector...

ReportOct 25, 2018 - 9:30am

Hardball: The Tactics of Union Corporate Campaigns

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), passed in 1935, struck a careful balance between the rights of workers and employers...

ArticleOct 02, 2018 - 9:45am

Fight for $15 Reappears (Again)

The union front group known as Fight for $15 is rearing its head again this week, reportedly with its “most ambitious effort in years....”

Sean P. Redmond

CommentSep 28, 2018 - 4:15pm

Coalition Comments to OSHA on Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

LetterSep 17, 2018 - 3:30pm

Nomination of Mark Pearce to the National Labor Relations Board

This letter was sent to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions opposing the nomination of Mark Pearce to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

ArticleSep 17, 2018 - 9:00am

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

NLRB Announces Joint Employer Proposal

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on September 13 announced that it would publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking...

Sean P. Redmond

ArticleAug 29, 2018 - 4:45pm

Pearce Re-Nominated to NLRB

The White House announced on August 28 that President Trump nominated Mark Gaston Pearce to be a Member of the National Labor Relations...

Sean P. Redmond

EventAug 29, 2018 - 9:00am to 11:00am

U.S. Chamber Annual Labor Day Briefing

The U.S. Chamber’s Glenn Spencer, and J.D. Foster host a press briefing to discuss the current state of the economy and regulatory reform and how they are impacting the labor market.

ArticleAug 24, 2018 - 3:00pm

Labor’s Puerto Rico Payday

This blog has recounted before the phenomenon of governments using their power to promote the interests of organized labor...

Sean P. Redmond