Vivian Dong is a student at Harvard Law School.
About 60,000 migrant workers left Thailand between June 23 and June 28, according to Thailand’s immigration bureau, after the country’s military government adopted new labor regulations addressing the prevalence and abusive conditions of migrant labor. A decree that came into effect on June 17 penalizes employers who hire undocumented foreign workers 800,000 baht (30,720 USD). In response, many businesses have fired workers. Other workers, fearing an impending crackdown, have left on their own volition. The majority of Thai migrant workers come from Myanmar. Labour officials there report that over 16,000 Burmese migrant workers have returned home over the weekend. Most have been staying in government buildings retrofitted to provide temporary shelter for one or two days before continuing on to their hometowns. These chaotic conditions pose a high risk of human trafficking. Over 3 million migrant workers work in Thailand.
On Friday, the 10th Circuit invalidated an Obama-era Department of Labor regulation forcing employers to share gratuities with workers where workers are already receiving the federal minimum wage. The regulation states that all tips “are property of the employee,” regardless of how much the workers make in regular wages. A three-judge panel held that the regulation went beyond the statutory authority granted to the Department of Labor in the Fair Labor Standards Act, as the FLSA provisions at issue, those dealing with “tip credits,” only address employers who use tips to bring workers up to the minimum wage. The 10th Circuit’s holding deepens the circuit split on the issue, as the 9th Circuit upheld the regulation last year, a decision now on review for certiorari.
Microsoft is reportedly planning to lay off thousands of employees around the world as part of its shift in focus to cloud services. Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, has seen impressive revenue growth—94% in the third quarter of 2017. The planned restructuring will primarily affect Worldwide Commercial Business, Microsoft’s global sales and marketing group, which has primarily been trained to sell Microsoft’s software products.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching
June 26
A district judge issues a preliminary injunction blocking agencies from implementing Trump’s executive order eliminating collective bargaining for federal workers; workers organize for the reinstatement of two doctors who were put on administrative leave after union activity; and Lamont vetoes unemployment benefits for striking workers.
June 25
Some circuits show less deference to NLRB; 3d Cir. affirms return to broader concerted activity definition; changes to federal workforce excluded from One Big Beautiful Bill.