Today, House Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC), along with 19 Republican Members from the Education and Labor Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Eugene Scalia commending DOL’s efforts to clarify the standard for determining whether an individual is classified as an independent contractor or employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
In the letter, the Members write: “We support DOL’s efforts to protect and enhance the independent contractor model. We appreciate that the September 25 NPRM is intended to create greater clarity for all stakeholders which will result in increased opportunity for workers and entrepreneurs and encourage even greater innovation in our economy.” The Members continue: “Equally as important as the clarity that will be provided by a final rule is the recognition of and respect for workers’ desires for flexibility and independence in the modern economy. As has been demonstrated in actual practice, academic studies, and in testimony before the Committee, independent contractors have the ability to set their own hours, negotiate their earnings, and select their clients utilizing competing platforms…. We urge DOL to continue its determined pursuit of a forward-looking legal and regulatory environment that works best for all workers and businesses, ensuring that the U.S. economy remains an engine of growth, opportunity, and prosperity for all Americans.”
NOTE: The independent contractor model, which allows workers to leverage their skills and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, has been under steady attack from Congressional Democrats. In February, House Democrats passed radical legislation which would decimate the independent contractor model, destroy jobs, and deprive Americans of the opportunity to work independently. Committee Republicans have long supported the independent contractor model, which gives workers the flexibility to earn a livelihood on their own terms.
To read the full letter to Secretary Scalia, click here.
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