Press Releases

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson Applauds the Labor Department's Guidance on Worker Misclassification

Today Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) applauded the Department of Labor's newly posted administrator's interpretation on worker misclassification.

"When workers are misclassified as independent contractors rather than employees, they are stripped of a myriad of labor rights, from minimum wage and overtime pay to employment discrimination and workplace safety protections," says Congresswoman Wilson, Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. "This interpretation will help more employers understand the distinction between an employee and an independent contractor and comply with law."

"The Labor Department supports the use of legitimate independent contractors − who play an important role in our economy − but when employers deliberately misclassify employees in an attempt to cut costs, everyone loses," states Wage and Hour Division Administrator Dr. David Weil in an accompanying blog post.

This administrator's interpretation comes days before Congresswoman Wilson is set to host a briefing on misclassification and its consequences for workers, the burden on law-abiding businesses, and strain on the federal government. The briefing is open to the public and will be held Friday, July 17, at 10:30 a.m. in 210 Cannon House Building. It will feature experts and advocates on the issue.

Later this month, Congresswoman Wilson and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) will reintroduce the Payroll Fraud Prevention Act, legislation that amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to require that employers accurately classify their workers and provide employees with notice of that classification.

To read Wage and Hour Division Administrator Dr. David Weil's blog post, click here.

To read the administrator's interpretation, click here.

To find out more about Congresswoman Wilson's upcoming briefing on worker misclassification, click here.

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Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson is a third-term Congresswoman from Florida representing parts of Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward counties. A former state legislator and school principal, she is the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school. Congresswoman Wilson also founded the Florida Ports Caucus, a bipartisan taskforce that coordinates federal action in support of Florida's harbors and waterways.