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

The PRO Act

Unions and their allies are promoting a bill that would destabilize America’s workplaces and impose a long list of dangerous changes to labor law. The proposal, called the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 2474 and S. 1306), is a litany of almost every failed idea from the past 30 years of labor policy. The PRO Act would undermine worker rights, ensnare employers in unrelated labor disputes, disrupt the economy, and force individual Americans to pay union dues regardless of their wishes. 

Recent Activity

Dec 19, 2019 - 4:00pm

The NLRB’s Holiday Cheer

The National Labor Relations Board this week announced several actions that reverse controversial Obama administration policies.

ArticleDec 17, 2019 - 5:45pm
Sign outside NLRB offices.

NLRB Releases Election Process Rule

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on December 13 released its much-anticipated changes to union representation election procedures.

Sean P. Redmond
Letters to CongressDec 17, 2019 - 10:00am

U.S. Chamber Key Vote Letter on Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriations Bills

This Key Vote Alert! letter was sent to the U.S. House of Representatives, supporting Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations legislation.

ArticleDec 13, 2019 - 11:15am
Francis Perkins Building, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Labor.

New DOL Regular Rate Rule Benefits Both Employees and Employers

The U.S.Department of Labor published today in the Federal Register the final rule for Regular and Basic Rates under the FLSA.

Stephanie Ferguson
ArticleDec 11, 2019 - 3:30pm
us-capitol-building

PRO Act Delayed?

According to a recent article, progressives and unions are getting frustrated that the Protecting the Right to Organize Act seems delayed.

Stephanie Ferguson
Letters to CongressDec 11, 2019 - 7:00am

U.S. Chamber Key Vote Alert! on H.R. 5038, "Farm Workforce Modernization Act"

This Key Vote Alert! letter was sent to the U.S. House of Representatives, supporting H.R. 5038, the "Farm Workforce Modernization Act."

CommentDec 05, 2019 - 1:30pm

Letter to New Jersey Senate on Independent Contractor Law

CommentNov 22, 2019 - 11:15am

Comments to DOL on Electronic Disclosure

ReportNov 21, 2019 - 11:45am
PRO Act Report Cover

Labor's Litany of Dangerous Ideas: The PRO Act

This paper highlights the major changes to the established framework of labor and employment relations that organized labor has in mind with the PRO Act. While it is unlikely to become law in the current Congress, the PRO Act is a harbinger of things to come if the political winds shift in 2020.

Letters to CongressNov 19, 2019 - 2:15pm

U.S. Chamber Letter on S. 982, the "Not Invisible Act of 2019"

This Hill letter was sent to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, supporting S. 982, the "Not Invisible Act of 2019."

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