Washington – A trio of conservative Democrats helped Senate Republicans choose a Labor candidate, sparking strong opposition from employer groups.
Sensors Joe Manchin (DW.Va.), Kirsten Cinema (D-Ariz.) And Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) Voted against David Weil’s payroll and viewing department. The Barack Obama administration. Weil’s nomination was defeated Wednesday night by a 47-53 procedural vote.
“Mr. Weil’s experience and previous statements have been problematic for many employees and business owners in West Virginia,” Mancin said in a statement Thursday. Hoping for their success will be his top priority.
Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Work and Pensions Committee, said she was “incredibly disappointed” in the vote. He called Will “a highly qualified candidate with a long history of struggling to get paid workers.”
During his tenure in the Obama administration, Weil scolded the restaurant industry for legal guidance that could be corporate entities like McDonald’s. He is accountable For labor violations in restaurants that are technically owned and operated by small businesses known as franchisees.
“I’ve heard this from a lot of people in Arizona [while] “He had this job during the Obama administration … there were a lot of concerns,” Kelly told HuffPost on Thursday.
The International Franchise Association, a commercial group, has accepted the rejection of three Weil Democratic nominations.
“Today’s vote sends a strong signal that Americans and small business owners are tired of oversupply and policies that make it difficult for them to protect their employees and grow their businesses,” he said. by Matthew Haller, President and CEO of IFA.
The head of the payroll and surveillance department is typically the highest -ranking police officer for payroll theft in the United States. The duty enforces minimum wage and overtime laws and enforces federal rules that can determine what workers get. Managers are more aggressive under Democratic presidents and beyond Hands off During the Republican presidents.
Weil’s denial of appointment was a failure for lawyers who wanted strict enforcement against employers. And Democrats appear to have remained in a state of uncertainty since Weil was the first presidential candidate Joe Biden to win a vote in the Senate.
“It’s serious. I don’t know what happened and I’m very sad about it,” Senator Sherod Brown (D-Ohio) said.
Weil came to the Department of Labor in 2014 to head the Compensation and Hours Department under then -Labor Secretary Tom Perez. His office has developed targeted enforcement programs where they focus on specific industries such as hotels and fast food restaurants to investigate minimum wage and overtime violations.
In academia, Weil is known for his work “Cracked workplace“- The term he used to spread A. The book In the same name – where traditional lines of work are overshadowed by temporary job deals, franchise deals, and GIG platforms. Weil’s research has shown that these systems have a way of lowering working conditions as companies become less accountable to the people at the bottom of the job completion chain.
Not surprisingly, Weil doesn’t have many fans in business lobbies in the country. Reading the “co -employer” doctrine – the idea that a company can be held liable for the actions of a subcontractor or its affiliates – could open up more obligations for the stable company under Fair Labor Standards. Act.
Since Weil’s nomination is almost dead, the Biden administration may be trying to find a new candidate who will make more conservative Democrats happy. The payroll and hours department is currently headed by Jessica Lohmann, who serves as administrator.
In 2016 HuffPost interviewWeil explained that when the Department of Labor appoints a company for wage theft, wage recovery is usually limited, which can take several weeks. But money is key, he explains.
“It translates to groceries, a month’s rent or the ability to store a car.” It’s huge, “Weil said.” Beyond that, people are talking about restoring dignity. They know they’re being paid by illegal. This is the notion of justice that goes with it ».
Source: Huffpost
