Washington, DC – The Coalition for Workforce Innovation (CWI) submitted comments in response to the Department of Labor’s proposed rule related to classification of independent contractors. The proposed rule is in response to the Federal District Court of the Eastern District in Texas which stated that the DOL’s attempt to rescind the final classification rule from the previous Administration was defective both procedurally and substantively. The current proposal now seeks to rescind that rule in question and return to the previous economic realities test.
Evan Armstrong, the Chair of CWI, stated that, “Members of CWI are disappointed with the Department’s antiquated approach towards a growing and vibrant segment of the economy. Returning to the older and more confusing standard does not reflect the wishes of affected stakeholders and could disrupt the livelihoods of millions of innovative, independent professionals who work in nearly every industry throughout our economy. Ultimately, the proposed rule could chill modern work relationships by greatly reducing clarity for workers and employers.”
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The Coalition for Workforce Innovation brings together diverse stakeholders representing technology companies, worker advocates, retail, and service industries, to educate policymakers on the benefits of independent work and to support policy proposals that protect and empower individuals to choose nontraditional work arrangements.