Sean Higgins is a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute specializing in labor and employment issues. As journalist, he covered the intersection of politics and economics for two decades, having been senior writer for the Washington Examiner, Washington correspondent for Investor’s Business Daily and a contributor to publications like Reason and National Review Online.”
Authored by Sean Higgins
News
White House wrong to push Railway Safety Act
The White House is reportedly urging lawmakers to include new restrictions on freight rail operations in upcoming infrastructure or transportation legislation. CEI policy experts…
21st Century Worker Act Aims to End Worker Classification Confusion
Today, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the 21st Century Worker Act, a much needed practical step to clear up persistent confusion surrounding worker classification under…
92,000 jobs were lost in February, turbulent labor market continues: CEI analysis
The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report shows 92,000 jobs were lost in February, indicating a turbulent labor market. Given today’s report, attention will…
Blog
Pardon me boys, is this the Special Interest Express?
- By: Sean Higgins
The Washington Post published a smart editorial on Monday on why the proposed Railway Safety Act is a bad idea. The legislation is…
Déjà vu all over again as Trump administration move to protect freelancing
- By: Sean Higgins
The Department of Labor has proposed a new worker classification rule to replace the previous administration’s 2024 rewrite. This new version would…
Yes, Trump has shrunk the government
- By: Sean Higgins
President Trump’s big jobs boast in his State of the Union address Tuesday was that under his watch every job created in the US…
Op-Eds/Articles
DC Journal
Point: AI Won’t Take Our Jobs Away
- By: Sean Higgins
For an alternate viewpoint, see “Counterpoint: Trump’s Extreme Anti-Labor Policies Could Determine the Effect of AI on Labor.” Read enough headlines about artificial intelligence and…
National Review
Josh Hawley, friend of a friend of the working man
- By: Sean Higgins
His mistake is thinking that the way to win over working-class voters is by supporting policies favored by union leaders. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley is the…
National Review
The Teamsters’ Imaginary Strike against Amazon
- By: Sean Higgins
There was a historic strike by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters workers at Amazon facilities over the Christmas holiday, yet it didn’t appear to slow Amazon’s…
Studies
The Forgotten History of the Wagner Act
- By: Sean Higgins
Introduction President Joe Biden on April 26, 2021, announced the creation of a special Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment. The purpose of the…
The Protect the Right to Organize Act Empowers Unions at Workers’ Expense
- By: Sean Higgins
View the Full Document as PDF The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act is touted by its supporters as advancing the rights…
Citations
Capitol Research Center
American Compass vs AFL-CIO battle isn’t what it appears to be
- By: Sean Higgins
Capitol Research Center cited CEI’s expert on Labor & Employment The language of the title is notable, and evidence of where the Compass faction…
Minimum-wage hikes affecting hourly workers in 19 states
- By: Sean Higgins
The Washington Times cited CEI’s expert on labor’s minimum wage Sean Higgins, an analyst at the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute, said U.S. workers earn…
The Washington Times
Record-high 203 million people shopped over Thanksgiving weekend, says National Retail Federation
- By: Sean Higgins
The Washington Times cited CEI’s expert on The Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis “The good news is that inflation hasn’t deterred people that much,” said…
Regulatory Comments
Competitive Enterprise Institute Letter Supporting OPM’s Proposed Rule on Improving Performance, Accountability, and Responsiveness in the Civil Service
- By: Sean Higgins
Competitive Enterprise Institute Letter in Support of OPM proposed rule “Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service” On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise…
Competitive Enterprise Institute Letter in Support of DOT Request to Reduce Regulatory Burden
- By: Sean Higgins
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), I respectfully submit the following comments in response to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) request for information,…
CEI Letter Opposing the Department of Labor’s Proposed Changes to the Davis-Bacon Act
- By: Sean Higgins
Via Regulations.Gov Hon. Marty Walsh Secretary of Labor United States Department of Labor 200 Constitution Ave NW Washington, DC 20210 Updating the Davis-Bacon and Related…
Podcast Episodes
Going into Labor with Sean Higgins
- By: Sean Higgins
This week we talk about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s legal fate, rising economic might in India, terrible federal policy on sugar, and how the...