Bloomberg BNA Releases In-Depth Outlook on the Year Ahead in Labor
ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bloomberg BNA today released its 2016 outlook on labor and employment law, which was published in the company's Daily Labor Report. Dozens of senior government officials, including Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and EEOC Chair Jenny Yang, along with industry observers and insiders, weigh in on the key issues in Congress, the courts and federal agencies in this 60-page report. A complimentary copy is available here.
"The final year of the Obama administration will see a rush of activity among the federal agencies that regulate labor and employment issues, most notably the Labor Department and the EEOC," said Karen Ertel, News Director, Labor, Employment, Benefits & Human Resources at Bloomberg BNA. "In Congress, on the other hand, we don't anticipate much movement as members will be engaged in election year politicking, leaving little room for bipartisanship."
Highlights include:
The Labor Department will be rushing to finalize a number of key regulations in the last year of the Obama administration, including a controversial final rule to dramatically increase workers' access to overtime pay. Labor Secretary Perez told Bloomberg BNA that the agency will bolster ongoing support of worker-friendly state and local laws and voluntary employer initiatives, including those that raise the minimum wage and provide paid leave and flexible scheduling.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will continue to seek solutions to persistent forms of discrimination while addressing new challenges emerging from the changing workplace. Two issues to watch are employers' use of online screening tools in hiring and the increased use of temporary workers, which is growing at seven times the rate of the permanent workforce owing in part to the shared economy.
The National Labor Relations Board will be busy defending 2015's regulatory action and decisions in a number of high-profile cases. This year, key questions are how successfully the board can defend its sometimes controversial positions and how it will interpret the rights of employees, unions and employees under the National Labor Relations Act.
Congress is caught up in an election year, which leaves little opportunity for bipartisan lawmaking. Industry insiders are watching Republican efforts to slow down and stop some high-priority Obama administration labor initiatives, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the move to expand overtime pay and broaden disclosure requirements for union opposition activities.
The U.S. Supreme Court's current term includes 10 pending labor and employment cases, including a First Amendment challenge to public employee agency fee arrangements that is drawing the most attention. In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, unions could potentially lose their ability to effectively represent certain groups of public employees.
Federal employees may get a reprieve from congressional attacks on their pay and benefits as lawmakers prepare for an election year. At the same time, the Obama administration may seek changes to federal operations and workforce management as it sets the stage for the next president and the new Congress.
Bloomberg BNA's Daily Labor Report provides reliable, analytical coverage of top labor and employment developments and is read and relied upon by the nation's foremost labor and employment professionals. For a complimentary copy of the Outlook, visit here.
About Bloomberg BNA
Bloomberg BNA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bloomberg, is a leading source of legal, regulatory, and business information for professionals. Its network of more than 2,500 reporters, correspondents, and leading practitioners delivers expert analysis, news, practice tools, and guidance — the information that matters most to professionals. Bloomberg BNA's authoritative coverage spans a full range of legal practice areas, including tax & accounting, labor & employment, intellectual property, banking & securities, employee benefits, health care, privacy & data security, human resources, and environment, health & safety.
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SOURCE Bloomberg BNA
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