Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) raised concerns over the White House’s nomination of David Weil to lead DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD).
In a letter on Dec. 18, ABCand other organizations said that Weil would be unable to impartially enforce critical federal wage and hour laws governing the workplace due to his advocacy positions and lack of relevant job experience.
WHD is the DOL sub-agency responsible for enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and other significant employment laws. The WHD administrator’s decisions can impact virtually every employer and employee in the country, according to ABC.
The administrator also oversees the publication of prevailing wage rates for federal construction work under the Davis-Bacon Act, which ABC has long criticized.
Due to the impact WHD’s actions can have on jobs and the economy, ABC believes that the administrator must be able to fairly consider the interests of both employees and employers without preconceived misconceptions about the employer community, which Weil’s history shows he is unlikely to do.
The International Foodservice Distributors Association, International Franchise Association, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and National Franchisee Association also signed the Dec. 18 letter.