Maia Usui is a student at Harvard Law School.
Noncompete agreements — once limited to senior executives — are now a widespread practice, locking in almost one fifth of American workers. This includes low-wage workers at fast-food chains and factories. A recent report from The New York Times revealed how such agreements can harm workers, preventing them from finding new jobs or embroiling them in costly legal battles. This morning, the Editorial Board called for an end to “such morally dubious practices.” It pointed to California — where state law makes noncompete agreements generally unenforceable — as one potential blueprint for reform.
Waymo has scored a big win in its lawsuit against Uber. Yesterday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, barring one of Uber’s star engineers — who is accused of stealing trade secrets — from working on its self-driving car program for the duration of the litigation. Wired has more.
Ford is cutting jobs, Reuters reports. The auto manufacturer plans to shrink its salaried workforce in North America and Asia by as much as 10%, in a move that could attract the ire of the Trump administration. President Trump has promised to expand jobs in the auto industry — earlier this year, he took credit for Ford’s decision not to shift its manufacturing plants to Mexico — but this most recent announcement (which will likely affect thousands of American workers) is a serious setback.
President Trump is also making little progress on his pledge to revive the Rust Belt. A recent report from the Congressional Research Service reveals that manufacturing wages are in decline: whereas in 2000, factory workers earned 5.1% more than service workers, in 2016, they earned 4.6% less. With wages stagnating, it’s far from clear whether a “Rust Belt renaissance” can be achieved. The Washington Times has more.
New York City’s “Freelance Isn’t Free Act” (FIFA) went into effect yesterday. The first of its kind, the law establishes broad protections for freelance workers. Studies have shown that more than 70% of freelancers perform work that goes unpaid. FIFA is intended to combat this trend, requiring that freelancers be paid in full for work worth $800 or more, either by a date specified in writing or within 30 days of completing the work. FIFA also establishes anti-retaliation protections and a complaint process through the New York Office of Labor Standards. JDSupra provides a breakdown of the key provisions.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 6
Municipal workers in Philadelphia continue to strike; Zohran Mamdani collects union endorsements; UFCW grocery workers in California and Colorado reach tentative agreements.
July 4
The DOL scraps a Biden-era proposed rule to end subminimum wages for disabled workers; millions will lose access to Medicaid and SNAP due to new proof of work requirements; and states step up in the noncompete policy space.
July 3
California compromises with unions on housing; 11th Circuit rules against transgender teacher; Harvard removes hundreds from grad student union.
July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
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.