Anita Alem is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, Biden’s labor aide resigns and is replaced with a former union official, states continue to pass restrictions against nondisclosure agreements, and Mitch McConnell says that Americans are not participating in the labor market because they feel “flush for the moment.”
Seth Harris, a deputy assistant to President Biden on labor, recently resigned from his position at the White House for a teaching post at Northeastern University. Celeste Drake, who was previously a senior trade official at the AFL-CIO and the “Made in the America” director for the White House Office of Management and Budget, will be replacing Harris.
The #MeToo movement shone a light on how nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) imposed following sexual harassment settlements silenced workers. Bloomberg reports that fifteen states have responded within the past several years by passing laws restricting employers from imposing NDAs following claims of workplace sexual harassment. For example, California’s law outright bans NDAs in sexual harassment and assault claims, whereas Maine’s law, which goes into effect in August, permits NDAs in any discrimination claims only if the employer can demonstrate express monetary consideration in exchange for the agreement. Washington’s law, which went into effect in June, has gone even further to forbid NDAs altogether in all workplace discrimination and wage and hour claims.
On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell shared that he believes the labor shortage is a result of potential workers “sitting on the sidelines because, frankly, they’re flush for the moment” as a result of stimulus checks that went out more than one year ago as part of pandemic relief. Instead, McConnell said, “What we’ve got to hope is once they run out of money, they’ll start concluding it’s better to work than not to work.” However, the Washington Post reports that unemployment rates are at historic lows while the gas and consumer goods prices are at historic highs, placing immense pressure on workers.
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April 22
DOGE staffers eye NLRB for potential reorganization; attacks on federal workforce impact Trump-supporting areas; Utah governor acknowledges backlash to public-sector union ban
April 21
Bryan Johnson’s ULP saga before the NLRB continues; top law firms opt to appease the EEOC in its anti-DEI demands.
April 20
In today’s news and commentary, the Supreme Court rules for Cornell employees in an ERISA suit, the Sixth Circuit addresses whether the EFAA applies to a sexual harassment claim, and DOGE gains access to sensitive labor data on immigrants. On Thursday, the Supreme Court made it easier for employees to bring ERISA suits when their […]
April 18
Two major New York City unions endorse Cuomo for mayor; Committee on Education and the Workforce requests an investigation into a major healthcare union’s spending; Unions launch a national pro bono legal network for federal workers.
April 17
Utahns sign a petition supporting referendum to repeal law prohibiting public sector collective bargaining; the US District Court for the District of Columbia declines to dismiss claims filed by the AFL-CIO against several government agencies; and the DOGE faces reports that staffers of the agency accessed the NLRB’s sensitive case files.
April 16
7th Circuit questions the relevance of NLRB precedent after Loper Bright, unions seek to defend silica rule, and Abrego Garcia's union speaks out.