
Leigh Thomas is a student at Harvard Law School.
The first presidential debate of the 2020 election left viewers reeling after ninety minutes of interruptions, falsehoods, and personal attacks, mostly leveled by President Trump. Commentators called the debate an “ugly melee,” an “embarrassment for the ages,” and “a disgrace,” among other things. If voters were hoping to hear alternative presidential visions for America’s economic recovery or coronavirus response, they were surely disappointed by the lack of substantive policy discussion. President Trump expressed frustration with public health restrictions and called on Democratic governors to open their states. He also said he “disagreed” with his health experts who say a vaccine won’t be available to the public until next year. Former Vice President Joe Biden criticized the Trump Administration’s response to the pandemic, calling the president a “fool on masks,” and “totally irresponsible” in how he handled social distancing. Neither candidate offered a clear plan on how to manage the ongoing pandemic nor the upcoming flu season.
Seattle passed a new law yesterday creating a minimum pay standard for Uber and Lyft drivers. Beginning in January, ride-hailing companies must pay drivers an amount close to the city’s $16 minimum hourly wage. The law is modeled on a similar New York City measure passed in 2018. As in New York, drivers will be compensated according to a formula that combines per-minute and per-mile rates, scaled up by a “utilization rate,” so that drivers remain adequately compensated even when less busy. The formula is intended to motivate the companies to keep their drivers busier rather than increase the number of drivers to reduce customer wait times. The Seattle Mayor said in a statement that the pandemic had “exposed the fault lines in our systems of worker protections, leaving many frontline workers like gig workers without a safety net.”
The Illinois Department of Labor announced the creation of a free consulting program to assist small businesses in the process of reopening with COVID-19 safety guidelines. Back to Business Illinois will pair businesses with Workplace Safety and Health consultants from within the Illinois DoL, to help with a variety of reopening questions. These include auditing physical operation and identifying best practices to keep workers and customers safe. The program will be non-punitive, and will offer a “Back to Business” certification to show employees and visitors that safety measures have been addressed.
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August 1
The Michigan Supreme Court grants heightened judicial scrutiny over employment contracts that shorten the limitations period for filing civil rights claims; the California Labor Commission gains new enforcement power over tip theft; and a new Florida law further empowers employers issuing noncompete agreements.
July 31
EEOC sued over trans rights enforcement; railroad union opposes railroad merger; suits against NLRB slow down.
July 30
In today’s news and commentary, the First Circuit will hear oral arguments on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) revocation of parole grants for thousands of migrants; United Airlines’ flight attendants vote against a new labor contract; and the AFL-CIO files a complaint against a Trump Administrative Executive Order that strips the collective bargaining rights of the vast majority of federal workers.
July 29
The Trump administration released new guidelines for federal employers regarding religious expression in the workplace; the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers is suing former union president for repayment of mismanagement of union funds; Uber has criticized a new proposal requiring delivery workers to carry company-issued identification numbers.
July 28
Lower courts work out meaning of Muldrow; NLRB releases memos on recording and union salts.
July 27
In today’s news and commentary, Trump issues an EO on college sports, a second district court judge blocks the Department of Labor from winding down Job Corps, and Safeway workers in California reach a tentative agreement. On Thursday, President Trump announced an executive order titled “Saving College Sports,” which declared it common sense that “college […]