Leora Smith is a student at Harvard Law School.
A new report from Maina Kiai, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and associations, looks at the weakening of workers’ rights protections around the world with a focus on the most marginalized workers: global supply chain workers, informal, domestic and migrant workers. The report examines how the current state of workers’ rights developed and what protections should be put in place worldwide to advance labor rights, including new accountability mechanisms for multinational corporations.
Closer to home, New York is set to pass one of the country’s first pieces of legislation that directly addresses the gig economy. The Freelance Isn’t Free Act sets standards for freelance contracts, increases damages for freelances who take non-paying clients to court, and allows New York City’s Office of Labor Policy and Standards to file lawsuits against repeat offenders. Currently, freelancers who aren’t paid by clients must take cases to small claims court, where damages are capped at $5000. The new law, which the Mayor is expected to sign into force now that it has been passed by City Council, would allow claimants to collect double damages and attorney’s fees. According to the Freelancers Union almost three-quarters of freelancers have experienced challenges in getting clients to pay.
And while the Fight for $15 pushes on their path to raise minimum wages and transform the fast food industry on a large scale, some workers in Vancouver, Washington are trying a different tactic – organizing fast-food unions franchise by franchise. Read more about the work of the Burgerville Workers Union here
Finally, while things keep moving at the local level, another federal policy has hit a roadblock. Politico reports on “[a]nother day, another Obama administration regulation blocked nationwide by a federal court in Texas.” Judge Maria Crone imposed a nationwide injunction on President Obama’s “Fair Play and Safe Workplaces” Executive Order, which requires companies applying for federal contracts to reveal allegations and findings of labor law violations. Judge Crone held that the Order exceeded Congress’ intentions for addressing labor law violations, and amounted to compelled speech – a First Amendment violation.
Daily News & Commentary
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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.
June 24
In today’s news and commentary, the DOL proposes new wage and hour rules, Ford warns of EV battery manufacturing trouble, and California reaches an agreement to delay an in-person work mandate for state employees. The Trump Administration’s Department of Labor has advanced a series of proposals to update federal wage and hour rules. First, the […]