The incoming Trump administration is expected to make significant changes to labor laws that will impact workers’ ability to receive overtime pay and benefits. According to a report by The New York Times, there will be a focused effort to repeal pro-worker precedents set by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Heidi Shierholz, a former senior Labor Department official during the Obama administration and now president of the Economic Policy Institute, believes that the Trump administration will ease up on enforcing safety rules, narrow eligibility for overtime pay, and make it harder for gig workers to gain employee status. This shift in policy is concerning for blue-collar workers who rely on these protections.
Trump’s first-term record on labor issues paints a picture of an extremely anti-worker president. Under his administration, the Obama-era overtime rules were rolled back, making 8.2 million workers ineligible for overtime pay. The National Labor Relations Board was also stacked with individuals hostile to collective bargaining, making it more difficult for workers to organize.
One of the most egregious rulemakings by the Trump Department of Labor was a proposed “tip stealing” rule that would have allowed employers to pocket their employees’ tips as long as they were paid the minimum wage. This rule would have resulted in $5.8 billion in lost wages for tipped workers annually. Thankfully, Congress intervened to prevent this harmful rule from being implemented.
Despite promising not to tax overtime pay, Trump’s policies will make it nearly impossible for many workers to earn overtime pay in the first place. This rollback of labor protections will erase the progress made under the Biden administration, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation and unfair practices.
It is crucial for workers to be aware of these changes and advocate for their rights in the face of an administration that is hostile towards labor. Trump’s track record on labor issues underscores the importance of informed voting and holding elected officials accountable for their actions.
