The House of Representatives today passed the Save Local Business Act (H.R. 3441) to clarify what constitutes a “joint employer” under federal labor law. Introduced by Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL), chairman of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, the bill rolls back the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) vague and expansive joint employer standard and provides certainty for local businesses and their employees. The bill passed by a bipartisan vote of 242 to 181.
Members released the following statements upon House passage of H.R. 3441:
“For a few years now, I’ve visited local businesses and heard concerns about how the joint employer scheme creates confusion and uncertainty for workers and job creators,” Rep. Byrne said. “With this vote today, the House has shown we are listening to those concerns and doubling down on our commitment to protecting local businesses and their employees. As someone who practiced law in this field for years, I have no doubt today’s vote will make things easier for small businesses throughout the country and help clear the air of uncertainty. I want to thank all of my colleagues for their support in passing this critical legislation, and I am especially pleased the bill passed with votes from both sides of the aisle.”
“Today’s House vote is a victory for America’s workers and local businesses that need relief from the NLRB’s extreme and unworkable joint employer scheme,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chairwoman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. “We want to make it easier, not harder, for hardworking men and women to own a business and achieve the American Dream, and that’s exactly what this commonsense bill is all about. I want to thank Representative Byrne for championing this proposal, as well as all the members of the committee for their hard work and passion that went into advancing this important legislation.”
“The misguided joint employer decision is a classic case of solving a problem that doesn’t exist, and in the process, creating additional barriers to success,” said Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions. “As a result of this new regulatory burden, workers and small businesses are now at risk of losing jobs and the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Our bipartisan bill protects jobs and restores a commonsense standard that workers and local employers have relied on for decades.”
For a fact sheet on the bill, click here.
For a bill summary, click here.
For a copy of the bill, click here.
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