Trump’s Worker-Classification Push Draws Fresh Labor Criticism

The Trump administration unveiled two major labor policy moves: the Department of Labor proposed a new independent contractor rule that critics say would strip workers of federal minimum wage and overtime protections by prioritizing two factors (control over the work and the opportunity for profit or loss), with a 60-day public comment window. Concurrently, the National Labor Relations Board revived its 2020 joint-employer rule. Labor advocates argue these moves favor corporations, risk expanding misclassification, and could weaken protections for gig workers in ride-hail and delivery, while supporters say the changes clarify employer responsibility. The overall tone from critics is that these policies amount to an anti-worker push, described by some lawmakers as “outright grift.”