{"id":1511212,"date":"2022-06-11T21:21:02","date_gmt":"2022-06-12T01:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1511212"},"modified":"2022-06-11T21:21:07","modified_gmt":"2022-06-12T01:21:07","slug":"gabriella-hoffman-biden-administration-continues-waging-war-on-freelancing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gabriella-hoffman-biden-administration-continues-waging-war-on-freelancing\/","title":{"rendered":"Gabriella Hoffman: Biden Administration Continues Waging War on Freelancing"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgabriella-hoffman-biden-administration-continues-waging-war-on-freelancing%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1511212&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><\/div>\n<aside id=\"aside1\" class=\"left aside-wrapper aside-wrapper-950\">\n<\/aside>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The Biden administration doesn\u2019t know when to take the L\u2014 especially in their efforts to undermine freelancing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">With the Big Labor-backed Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act currently stalled in Congress and freelance foe David Weil failing to get his old Department of Labor gig back, shouldn\u2019t they take a hint? \u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Sadly, they aren\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Biden\u2019s Labor Department continues to wage their war on independent contracting. Why? They have a short window left before the midterms to make every American worker a unionized employee.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Biden Admin Ignoring Court Decision Restoring Trump IC Rule <\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">By taking an ax to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to make all workers employees, this administration is violating norms and dismissing economic trends favoring flexible work arrangements.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The Labor Department has ignored a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonlewis.com\/publication\/dol-withdrawal-trump-era-independent-contractor-final-rule-unlawful-court-rules\">March 2022\u00a0<\/a>federal court ruling that deemed their withdrawal of the Trump-era independent contractor rule \u201cunlawful.\u201d Adding insult to injury, they\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law360.com\/employment-authority\/articles\/1493325\/dol-to-appeal-trump-era-contractor-rule-decision\">appealing<\/a> the decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruled the department violated the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/litigation\/business-groups-get-trump-independent-contractor-rule-reinstated\">Administrative Procedure Act<\/a> of 1946 by only offering a 19-day comment period on the \u201cdelayed\u201d IC rule. Governmental agencies must allow 30-60 notice-and-comment periods.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonlewis.com\/sites\/default\/files\/docs\/Texas-Coalition-v-Walsh.pdf\">Coalition for Workforce Innovation et al. v. Walsh<\/a> decision reads like this, \u201cHaving vacated the Delay Rule, the court turns to the Withdrawal Rule. Plaintiffs claim that the Withdrawal Rule is arbitrary and capricious, in violation of the APA. Again, the court agrees.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It added, \u201cIn this instance, the court finds that the DOL failed to consider potential alternatives to rescinding the Independent Contractor Rule. Indeed, the DOL prohibited any comments on the issue.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The Trump-era rule <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/litigation\/business-groups-get-trump-independent-contractor-rule-reinstated\">clarifies<\/a> a worker\u2019s status under the Fair Labor Standards Act making it easier to operate as an independent contractor. Leaning on an \u201ceconomics reality\u201d test, courts have interpreted worker status being assessed by several factors: \u201cdegree of control of work\u201d; \u201cthe individual\u2019s opportunity for profit or loss\u201d; \u201cthe individual\u2019s investment in facilities and equipment\u201d; \u201cthe permanency of the relationship between the parties\u201d; \u201cthe skill or expertise required by the individual; and \u201cwhether the work is \u201cpart of an integrated unit of production.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Freelancers, including independent contractors, welcomed the reinstatement of the Trump-era rule. Biden and Democrats didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The Open Competition Center, a project of Americans for Tax Reform, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opencompetitioncenter.org\/biden-department-of-labor-must-protect-independent-contractors-in-new-rulemaking\/?fbclid=IwAR1_0xnAabetu7t_em6PEQQKY0IrnBs2I5lci7skx3BneODMq7-JroIjHdw\">warned<\/a> the Labor Department to not tread down this road, writing, \u201cPresident Biden is shaping labor policy in a way that will harm American independent contractors. Any rules the DOL promulgates should preserve the freedom and flexibility to work as an independent contractor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Biden Labor Dept. Not Representing Interests of Most Workers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The Biden administration pretends to represent all American workers, but caters to a small but shrinking share of the workforce: the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/opub\/ted\/2022\/union-membership-rate-declines-in-2021-returns-to-2019-rate-of-10-3-percent.htm\">10.3%\u00a0<\/a>of Americans working union jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Do a casual scan of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh\u2019s and his department\u2019s social media accounts. You\u2019ll find no praise for freelancers\u2014 those who comprise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upwork.com\/press\/releases\/upwork-study-finds-59-million-americans-freelancing-amid-turbulent-labor-market\">36%<\/a> of the U.S. workforce. Observers will note, however, that Walsh and his department give unwavering support to public sector unions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Why? Secretary Walsh <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2021\/04\/29\/labor-walsh-gig-workers-employees\/\">agrees<\/a> with President Biden that gig workers comprising the freelance economy are largely misclassified\u2014a claim, in itself, that\u2019s inaccurate.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201cWe are looking at it, but in a lot of cases gig workers should be classified as employees,&#8221; Walsh said to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-labor-exclusive-idUSKBN2CG1ZS\">\u00a0Reuters<\/a> last year. \u201cThese companies are making profits and revenue and I\u2019m not (going to) begrudge anyone for that, because that\u2019s what we are about in America. But we also want to make sure that success trickles down to the worker.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Had the PRO Act passed Congress, Democrats and unions would have <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/report-unions-dems-to-rake-in-billions-from-pro-act\/\">raked<\/a> in billions\u2014nearly $3 billion\u2014per every two-year election cycle.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In 2020, labor unions <a href=\"https:\/\/bluetent.us\/articles\/unions\/biggest-union-donors-in-2020\/\">spent<\/a>\u00a0$67 million to exclusively elect Democrats to office. And it helped. Last year, unions <a href=\"https:\/\/wset.com\/news\/nation-world\/democrats-defend-86-billion-bailout-for-union-pensions-in-covid-relief-bill\">got<\/a> a $86 billion bailout for union pensions in the COVID relief bill.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">So much for being \u201cpro-worker.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Democrat Freelancers Not Being Heard By Party Leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Republicans freelance. So do Democrats. The latter, especially, feel unheard and dismissed by Biden, Walsh, and their party representatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) is to survive a primary challenge, he\u2019ll be the last Democratic lawmaker standing who supports freelancing. Every other House Democrat has now voted in favor of the PRO Act.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Undoubtedly, independent contracting is bipartisan. It should be. If the Democrats fail to moderate here, they\u2019ll continue to bleed voters.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Republicans absolutely can make inroads to these disaffected freelancers by supporting the \u201cFight for Freelancers\u201d movement.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The future of work is freelance\u2014including independent contractor work. That\u2019s a hard pill for many on the Left to swallow because these workers are independent, fulfilled, and not needing unions to interfere on their behalf.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Under \u201cThe Great Resignation,\u201d full-time workers are increasingly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/people-quit-full-time-jobs-for-contract-gigs-and-make-six-figures-great-resignation-11647291183?mod=mhp\">quitting<\/a> their 9-to-5 jobs for high-paying contract work. One bullish estimate <a href=\"https:\/\/financesonline.com\/number-of-freelancers-in-the-us\/\">forecasts<\/a> the freelance workforce growing to over 91 million members by 2028.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If Democrats continue to undermine independent contracting, it should cost them politically.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Biden administration doesn\u2019t know when to take the L\u2014 especially in their efforts to undermine freelancing.\u00a0With the Big Labor-backed Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act currently<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1511212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1511212"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511212\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1511212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1511212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1511212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}