On November 16, 2016, a federal court in Texas issued an order permanently prohibiting the Department of Labor (DOL) from enforcing its new “Persuader Rule.” The DOL’s Persuader Rule interprets a provision of the federal Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) that requires employers and consultants hired to assist in communicating and advising employees of their rights and the law during a union campaign, to report their business relationship.
Now that the election is over and President-elect Trump will take office, employers may be wondering how they will be affected. Who Trump will nominate to the U.S. Supreme Court, what legislation will be passed by Congress, and what regulatory rollbacks will occur are currently all up in the air. One way he can make an immediate impact from day one is through Executive Orders (EOs). Executive Orders have long been used by Presidents to manage operations within the federal government. President Obama used them to make sweeping changes in requirements for federal contractors. President-elect Trump has indicated that reversing many of Obama’s Executive Orders will be among his first acts.
Fast food giant McDonald’s recently agreed to pay $3.75 million to settle a lawsuit for wage and hour violations allegedly committed by one of its California franchisees. The federal lawsuit, filed in 2014 by franchisee employees, alleged that McDonald’s was liable as a joint employer under California law.
