Keith Sonderling's confirmation hearing for Labor Secretary revealed a fundamental rift over worker protections. The Trump administration is pushing to reshape labor policy away from traditional safeguards toward independent contractor flexibility. At the hearing held July 16 in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Democrats challenged Sonderling over decisions that eliminated overtime pay protections affecting millions and dismantled an office dedicated to protecting workers from discrimination.
Sonderling, who currently serves as acting secretary at the Department of Labor, faces questions about his stewardship of an agency that has undergone dramatic changes under his leadership. The Trump administration's approach to labor regulation represents a sharp departure from the enforcement-focused model of previous administrations.
Sonderling arrives at his confirmation hearing as the architect of the Trump administration's independent contractor policy. He was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of Labor last year and has run the department as acting secretary since April. His record during the president's first term included overseeing a record number of enforcement actions at the agency.
The current nominee has championed policies providing regulatory clarity on independent contractor classification. He clarified the joint employer standard to protect the American franchise model, which employs over 9 million Americans....
Korean singer and actor IU has asked a U.S. federal court to authorize the release of identifying information from Meta in a move seen as an intention to take strong action against malicious posts...