Andrea Hsu
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
The new rule gives President Trump the power to move federal employees in, quote, policy-influencing roles into a new category of employees who can be fired for any reason.
The administration says the rule will make it easier for agencies to get rid of poor performers and also those who are intentionally obstructing the president's agenda.
The government previously estimated some 50,000 positions could be moved.
Currently, only 4,000 political appointees can be fired at will.
While agencies can recommend positions to be reclassified, Trump will make the final decision.
Trump's critics say the change will take the country back to a spoil system that existed in the 1800s, one marked by corruption, incompetence, and ineffective government.
Home care workers are one of the largest groups of workers in the U.S.
The workforce is 85% women and two-thirds people of color.
The Trump administration argues an Obama-era rule granting these workers the right to earn overtime pay and the federal minimum wage has hurt both workers and the families they serve.
The Home Care Association of America says rather than pay overtime, many home care agencies capped workers at 40 hours a week to keep costs down.
Workers had to take on second jobs to make up for lost wages.
Now the Trump administration has proposed rescinding the decade-old rule.
Labor advocates say doing so would deprive the home care workforce of basic employment rights most other workers have long enjoyed.
At nearly 200 pages long, the guidance explained to employers what constitutes unlawful harassment, offering real-world examples.
Employers could turn to the document when figuring out how to respond to reports of harassment and for training.
EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas maintains rescinding the guidance will not leave a void where employers are free to harass.