U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Labor Relations Committee

WAGE, HOUR & LEAVE SUBCOMMITTEE

May 13, 2015

2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

Amway-Emerson

AGENDA

Chairman: Leonard Court Staff: Marc Freedman

Anticipated rulemaking on overtime regulations

  • Sent to OIRA for review on May 5
  • Projection for publication?
  • Follow up letter to meeting with Secretary Perez

Blacklisting Issues

  • Defeat of FLSA amendment on MilCon/VA Approps bill
  • Redux from last year “Ellison Amendment”—offered by Pocan (D-WI)
  • No other bills as of yet
  • Executive Order—DOL Guidance and FAR Council proposed reg at OIRA since March 6
  • Meeting at OIRA with industry reps
  • Hearing on Executive Order in House: Subcommittees on Workforce Protections and Health, Education, Labor and Pensionsof Education and Workforce Committee, March 26: Willis Goldsmith, Chamber witness

Meeting with Wage and Hour Administrator David Weil, March 20

  • Discussion about Administrator’s Interpretations vs. Opinion Letters
  • Process suggestions
  • Substantive suggestions
  • See follow up letter

Minimum Wage Actions/Debate

  • Facebook: requiring vendors to pay $15/hour MW,took effect May 1.
  • Gov. Cuomo convenes wage board to recommend higher MW for fast food restaurant industry—May 6 NYT op-ed
  • No legislative approval necessary
  • McDonald’s voluntary increase—local MW + $1.00 for company owned stores starting July 1
  • Aetna increased starting salary to $16/hour as of April (average 11% increase)
  • New Democrat proposals: Senator Murray/Rep. Scott: $12.00 by 2020--$8.00 in 2016, $1.00 increase every year until 2020 + inflation indexing
  • Andy Puzder , WSJ op-ed: tiered MW lower for teen-agers; regional variations reflecting local economy

Paid Time Off Actions

  • Facebook: requiring contractors to give workers who do a substantial amount of work with Facebook at least 15 paid days off annually for holidays, sick leave and vacation, also requiring that new parents receive a $4,000 bonus if they don’t get paid parental leave.
  • Facebook offers own employees $4,000 in “baby cash”—in addition to paid parental leave and help with day care and adoption fees; also offers 21 days of vacation, 11 holidays and unlimited sick days, plus free meals on its campus and help paying for gym memberships and laundry bills.
  • Microsoft: will require suppliers that employ 50 or more people to provide 15 days of annual paid time off to any employee who’s worked for that supplier more than nine months; will be implemented over the next twelve months.
  • McDonald’s: As of July 1, full- and part-time crew employees at company-owned restaurants, with at least one year of service, will begin to accrue personal paid time-off; an employee who works an average of 20 hours per week will be eligible to accrue approximately 20 hours of paid time off per year; time not taken will be paid out.

Chamber Litigation Case Update: Steven Lehotsky, Warren Postman,Chamber Litigation Center—at full meeting tomorrow

  • Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Association
  • UPS v. Young