E&W Blog

The House will vote on three bills that modernize our nation’s labor laws so they better reflect how Americans work today—protecting earnings, expanding opportunity, and supporting working families without adding unnecessary government barriers. These bills also support small businesses and meet the needs of the workforce.

Here’s what they are saying about H.R. 2262, Flexibility for Workers Education Act, authored by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA):

“The legislation maintains strong worker protections—participation in these training opportunities would be entirely voluntary, occur outside of work hours, and could not involve productive work for the employer. Removing this regulatory hurdle would expand access to employer-sponsored education, making it easier for workers to develop the skills necessary for higher-paying jobs and career advancement.” – Sam Caucci, Founder & CEO, 1Huddle

“Most notably for franchise businesses, the Flexibility for Workers Education Act will allow businesses to offer voluntary training outside of work hours without that training counting towards employees’ hours worked. By cutting red tape, this legislation makes it easier for businesses to encourage upward mobility and accelerate employees’ growth with access to innovative education and skills development opportunities.” – Michael Layman, Chief Advocacy Officer, International Franchise Association

“Employers have millions of unfilled positions because they cannot find qualified workers. In its most recent April 2025 survey, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) found that 87% of small business owners hiring or trying to hire reported few or no qualified applicants for available positions. If employers could train their current employees, they could expand their pool of qualified workers. However, federal law discourages employers from investing in training programs for employees.” – Patrice Onwuka, Director, Center for Economic Opportunity, Independent Women

Here’s what they are saying about H.R. 2270, Empowering Employer Child and Elder Care Solutions Act, authored by Rep. Mark Messmer (R-IN):

“Many families today struggle to find affordable, reliable, and high-quality child care. Policies should make it easier, not harder, for employers to offer these benefits to working parents on a voluntary basis. The Empowering Employer Child and Elder Care Solutions Act acknowledges this challenge and seeks to alleviate the cost and regulatory burden on employers who wish to provide child and dependent care assistance.” – Heather Madden, Policy Staff Director, Independent Women’s Voice

“A competitive job market demands equally competitive benefits. As organizations face labor shortages, those that modernize their total compensation and benefits packages with creative, forward-thinking offerings are better positioned to attract and retain talent. SHRM believes public policy should support employers in these efforts. H.R. 2270 represents meaningful progress by encouraging employers to offer onsite or subsidized dependent care benefits through statutory recognition that such benefits are excluded from the 'regular rate' calculation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).” – Emily M. Dickens, Chief Administrative Officer, SHRM

Here’s what they are saying about H.R. 2312, Tipped Employee Protection Act, authored by Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR):

“In order for America’s workers and business entrepreneurs to succeed in the 21st century, Congress must prioritize reforms that let Americans chase opportunity rather than permission…H.R. 2312, the Tipped Employee Protection Act, which ensures restaurants can properly compensate tipped employees for non-tipped work activities…would create significant new opportunities and flexibility for the American workforce, allowing businesses and workers to create mutually beneficial arrangements.” – Austen Bannan, Employment Fellow, Americans for Prosperity

“The Act safeguards tipped workers’ wages by preserving the current tipped wage formula. Under the FLSA, tipped employees must earn at least the federal minimum wage through a combination of their employer-paid base wage of $2.13 and their tips. If tips fail to meet the minimum wage threshold, employers must pay the difference. Moreover, the bill upholds states’ authority to set higher minimum wages than the federal standard.” – Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association

“The Tipped Employee Protection Act would codify a more explicit definition of 'tipped employee' by removing interpretive language such as 'customarily' and 'regularly' from the FLSA’s current definition.” – Manufacturers' Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry (MAFSI)

“The Tipped Employee Protection Act strengthens wage protections for tipped workers while reducing compliance challenges for employers. We urge your support for this important legislation.” – National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

“The undersigned organizations write to urge your support of the Tipped Employee Protection Act (H.R. 2312), which would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to clarify the definition of 'tipped employee,' strengthen wage protections for tipped workers, and provide additional clarity as to which workers fall under this category.” – National Restaurant Association

“The bill would also prevent regulators from imposing arbitrary limits on the hours or duties a tipped employee may perform. Together, these provisions create a more stable compliance environment for employers and make it easier to classify workers accurately as tipped employees.” – National Retail Federation