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
December Job Losses in Leisure & Hospitality Eclipse Gains in Other Sectors – What Can Policymakers Do?
The Labor Department reported today the economy lost 140,000 jobs in December 2020. Gains in various sectors were eclipsed by 500,000 jobs lost in…
Biden’s Labor Dept. Pick Will Likely Seek Union-First Policies
President-elect Joe Biden announced Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as his pick for Labor secretary. That signals a union-first approach to labor policy, predicts Sean…
September Brought Uptick in Jobs – Will Next Government Steps Help or Hurt?
Employers added 661,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate declined to 7.9 percent from 8.4 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said today…
Blog
Department of Labor Cautions “Gig Economy” Companies against Limiting Workers’ Freedom
- By: Sean Higgins
The Department of Labor (DOL) said on Wednesday, January 6, that if someone is currently working for one or more of your business rivals, then…
Biden Labor Nominee Marty Walsh Poised to Make Radical Changes
- By: Sean Higgins
Joe Biden’s decision to nominate Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as Labor Secretary will elevate a person to oversee the nation’s workplace who is not…
Labor Department Independent Contractor Rule out Today
- By: Sean Higgins
The Department of Labor (DOL) acted to promote entrepreneurialism and protect freelancers on Wednesday by issuing a new rule under the Fair Labor Standards…
Op-Eds/Articles
Inside Sources
Does ‘Blue Collar Joe’ Biden Underwhelm Union Workers?
- By: Sean Higgins
President-elect Joe Biden has radical ideas to build up union membership in Pennsylvania and across the country, having endorsed policies that labor leaders have wanted…
National Review
Exit Polls Suggest Little Enthusiasm for Biden among Union Members
- By: Sean Higgins
Although Joe Biden won a majority of votes cast by labor-union members, available data suggest he did slightly worse than past Democratic presidential candidates. That’s despite…
National Review
The Notorious RBG’s Turf War with Congress
- By: Sean Higgins
Reexamining Justice Ginsburg’s dissent in Ledbetter makes the deep flaws in her approach to the law clear. The late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg…
Citations
The Washington Examiner
The Davis-Bacon Act May Present Challenges To Biden’s Infrastructure Plans
- By: Sean Higgins
The Washington Examiner cites Research Fellow Sean Higgins on the Davis-Bacon Act: One of the reasons for the delay was the Obama administration’s fastidiousness…
Reason
Department of Labor Proposes New Rule Protecting the Right To Be a Gig Worker
- By: Sean Higgins
Reason cites research fellow Sean Higgins on California’s AB5 rule: The new rule “is definitely a reaction” to the California law, says Sean Higgins, a research…