Lauren Godles is a student at Harvard Law School.
Donald Trump appears to have settled on a federal $10 minimum wage, despite his previous position that increases should be determined by the states. Bloomberg calls his new minimum wage pronouncement “the latest headache for Republicans,” whose recently-published party platform firmly states that the minimum wage “should be handled at the state and local level.” And, in further Trump news, the Republican presidential candidate is seeking to hire dozens of new employees for his Mar-a-Lago Club and Trump National Golf Club in Florida. However, he claims he cannot find Americans to fill those jobs, and has applied for temporary visas to bring in foreign workers.
The New York Attorney General has been cracking down on non-compete agreements. The NYAG has been ramping up investigations under a New York Executive Law that allows the AG to investigate and remedy “unconscionable contractual provisions.” Recent NYAG investigations have lead to settlements with Law360 and Jimmy John’s, causing those companies to first, cease their practices of requiring certain new employees sign the agreements and second, to recognize previously signed agreements as unenforceable. New York joins a growing number of states that have outlawed or attempted to rein in the practice. Read more on efforts to reform non-competes here.
Lastly, Massachusetts is set to enact broad pay equity legislation this week. Recently, the state House and Senate voted unanimously to expand the current Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (MEPA), and Governor Baker has indicated that he will sign the bill this week. The legislation will eliminate an employee’s previous earnings as a defense, extend the statute of limitations from one year to three, and allow for more expansive remedies for plaintiffs. In passing this legislation, Massachusetts will join California, New York, and Maryland, which have all enacted similar laws in the last few months.
Daily News & Commentary
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October 30
Sectoral bargaining could blunt A.I. job loss; Gen-Z job searchers stare into the void.
October 29
Dolores Huerta, labor leader, feminist, and civil rights icon, dies at 96.
October 28
The Writers Guild of America East provides writers with access to software that protects their work from AI scraping, and city workers in Oregon reach a tentative agreement after a six-day strike.
October 27
Some California union locals defy their statewide leadership to back the state’s billionaire tax proposal; a Brown University technology center releases a map of the hidden global workforce behind AI; the National Women's Soccer League and its players union settle six grievances.
October 26
Harvard dining workers authorize strike; New York City bans horse carriages; Brooklyn nurses rally in support of colleague.
October 25
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders unionize; Bureau of Prisons again pushes for union contract cancellation; CSU faculty votes on strike authorization.