The U.S. economy has lost millions of workers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. According to the U.S. Chamber’s America Works Data Center, there are upwards of 3.25 million missing workers in the economy today. As U.S. Chamber Chief Economist Curtis Dubay explains, this worker shortage is a crisis for both businesses and consumers as unfilled labor needs are driving inflation.
Given that, it’s all the more concerning that federal regulators at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) are making it more difficult for businesses to hire employees.
Targeting employee skill development
On June 9, 2022, the CFPB published a request for information (RFI) regarding what the agency refers to as “employer driven debt.”
While it sounds innocuous, the RFI is targeted at common business practices that expand hiring opportunities and provide employees with in-demand skills. Frequently, when companies hire new employees, they provide them with the opportunity to undertake training or certification courses. In return, employees will often agree to stay with the company for a limited amount of time or otherwise assume the burden for their repayment.
For example, a warehousing company short on truckers may offer employees commercial drivers licensing certification courses in exchange for a contractual obligation from the employee to remain with the company for one year. It’s advantageous for both parties. The employee receives training that typically costs between...
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