Alexa Kissinger is a student at Harvard Law School.
The New York Times’s “Live Briefing” is tracking Day 3 of the Trump Administration’s Cabinet confirmation hearings. Today, General James Mattis, nominee for defense secretary, Rep. Mike Pompeo, nominee for CIA director, and Dr. Ben Carson, nominee for housing and urban development secretary will testify.
According to Business Insider, Amazon announced today that it would create more than 100,000 full-time jobs with benefits in the United States over the next 18 months, growing its U.S. workforce to over 280,000. Although Amazon has also been drastically expanding automation projects in some fulfillment centers, many of these new jobs will reportedly range from engineering to software-development positions.
In response to growing demand by customers, U.S. produce industry groups published a proposal for eliminating worker abuse in produce supply chains. As reported in the Los Angeles Times, the plan, termed the “Ethical Charter” is an “attempt to get the network of growers, distributors and retailers to follow basic values governing the treatment of workers, many of whom toil on large export farms in Mexico.” The two-page proposal sets out the aspirational goal of creating a channel for laborers to submit complaints, and calls for involved parties to “respect all laws and principles inspired by ‘international expectations.’” Individuals critical of the plan have lambasted the plan for feeble enforcement provisions, a lack of details or auditing processes, and ineffective methods of dealing with contract labor concerns.
Earlier this week in Karlo v. Pittsburgh Glass Works, the Third Circuit created a circuit split by holding that “‘subgroup’ disparate-impact claims are cognizable under the ADEA.” As reported in JD Supra, under this ruling, employees in a subgroup over 40 can bring disparate impact ADEA claims against their employer alleging that they were “disfavored relative to younger employees,” even if the younger employees are themselves 40 or older. The court parted from the Second, Sixth, and Eighth Circuits and relied on precedent in O’Connor v. Consolidated Coin Caterers. The opinion stated that “the fact that one person in the protected class has lost out to another person in the protected class is thus irrelevant, so long as he has lost out because of his age.”
The New York Times published a beautiful series of photos by Xyza Bacani, documenting the struggle of illegally trafficked migrant workers in Hong Kong and New York.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 17
Canadian wildfires endanger rail workers; 26 Meta employees allege targeted layoffs for those on paid leave; FIFPRO pushes for more rigorous heat protections for players.
July 16
Trump's NLRB nominee set for Senate vote, federal district court grants partial win on WARN Act claims, Brigham and Women's nurses return to work.
July 15
U.S. labor productivity climbs at its fastest pace in decades; a federal judge grants a preliminary injunction to anti-abortion groups challenging Michigan’s civil rights law; and Jackson, Mississippi’s bus workers walk off the job.
July 14
DOJ opens investigation of UAW president; LIUNA protests Pfizer building collapse; national park workers unionize
July 13
New York Times files retaliation suit against the EEOC; US government pushes back TPS designation termination for Haiti; federal judge grants preliminary injunction to federal workers seeking reasonable telework accommodations.
July 12
Postal workers demand investigation into Atlanta distribution center conditions following deaths; University of Chicago Press Workers vote to unionize.