President Trump announced his selection for Labor Secretary (head of the Department of Labor) back in December of 2016. But it is only recently that the country has taken a good look at their potential Labor Secretary’s positions and background. Andy Puzder, the nominee, is CEO of CKE Restaurants (you might know them as Carl’s Jr. and Hardees).
Mr. Puzder is an avowed government minimalist. He co-authored a book, Job Creation: How It ReallyWorks and Why the Government Doesn’t Understand It, which was critical of government intervention in the labor market and capitalism. He argued that similar economic systems in the past have failed. Mr. Puzder proposes policies that would harness “entrepreneurial spirit” to drive the economy and spur job growth.
Furthermore, Mr. Puzder has called for a moratorium on new labor rules. He is also in disfavor of the Department of Labor investigating and punishing companies.
Unfortunately, these positions are at odds with the President’s. The President repeatedly claims that he wants to push a $1 trillion infrastructure investment plan. He regularly interferes in private company affairs (for example scolding GM and Carrier for locating factories in Mexico).
It is unclear which of these philosophies will run the Labor Department however, the result is likely going to be a substantial change to labor protections.
Do you believe you were not paid your just hourly wage or denied breaks? If so, you could have an actionable employment claim, and you may want to contact a lawyer to review your rights. An employment attorney can guide you through the various rules to help you determine if your claim is valid and worth pursuing. You don’t need to work this out on your own; an attorney can help
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Source: Quartz, “Trump and his nominee for labor secretary disagree on almost everything about the future of work,” Sarah Kessler, February 7, 2017
