Workers update

Economic Policy Institute  - EPI welcomes the U.S. Department of Labor’s final rule issued today that will combat employer misclassification of workers as independent contractors and ensure that more workers can enjoy the rights and protections they are already legally entitled to. Employer misclassification of workers as independent contractors robs workers of labor rights and threatens their economic security. Many workers are harmed by employer misclassification—particularly those in the lowest-wage and most difficult jobs, such as nail salon workers, truck drivers, and construction workers. Allowing employers to exploit loopholes in labor law puts these workers at greater risk. A previous EPI analysis found that in 11 commonly misclassified occupations, workers misclassified as independent contractors lose out on thousands of dollars in earnings and benefits per year, compared with workers doing the same job with employee status.