Whether it is exposing legislation and regulations that benefit unions, lawyers or management at the expense of workers, detailing the folly of occupational licensing laws; supporting the expansion of state right-to-work laws; or highlighting the overreach of lawmakers, bureaucrats, and courts; CEI advances reforms in this crucial, often overlooked policy area. Our op-eds, policy papers, media appearances, coalition work, and innovative research serve as crucial counterweights to the aggressive efforts by unions and their allies to frame the policy debate.
Labor and Employment Issue Areas
Featured Posts
Blog
Pardon me boys, is this the Special Interest Express?
The Washington Post published a smart editorial on Monday on why the proposed Railway Safety Act is a bad idea. The legislation is…
News Release
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…
News Release
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…
Search Posts
Daily Caller
Unprecedented Overtime Expansion Likely To Send Business Leaders Into Payroll Damage Control
The Daily Caller discusses the impact of the Department of Labor's overtime rule with Trey Kovacs. "These small businesses, who may not be…
Blog
Small Businesses and Nonprofits Ill-Equipped to Handle DOL’s Overtime Rule
The Department of Labor's overtime rule may be published as early as next week. The rule's "one-size-fits-all" nature is set to harm small businesses the…
Blog
Conservatives for Big Government: Air Traffic Control Reform Opponents Have Lost Their Minds or Principles
UPDATE: Diana Furchtgott-Roth has responded. I offer my reply. Right now in Congress, there is a proposal to end a government monopoly, replace…
Blog
Seattle Regulators Go After Rideshare Driver Privacy
Today, I have a column up at FEE.org on the need for classical liberals to make financial privacy as important an aspect of their…
Blog
Companies May Scrutinize Employee Activity More under DOL’s Proposed Overtime Rule
The battle over the Department of Labor’s proposed overtime rule is heating up. A number of business groups, labor unions, and progressive organizations have met…
Blog
Congress Needs to Halt DOL Regulatory Onslaught
Last week, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) called out recent Department of Labor policies as having a “chilling effect” on the economy. Ryan’s statements were…
One News Now
Labor representative reporting rule burdens businesses
One News Now discusses the Department of Labor's "persuader rule" with Ivan Osorio. Critics refer to this latest effort as “the persuader rule” and…
Blog
Why Is Employee Involvement an Unfair Labor Practice?
U.S. labor law is largely based on the false narrative of an inequality of bargaining power between employees and employers. The theory goes that an…
The Hill
Department of labor overtime rule is a roadblock to a bright career path
Obama labor regulators are touting a plan to boost wages, but unfortunately for people living in the real world, it’s a bill of false goods.
Blog
A Diverse Collection of Stakeholders Oppose the DOL’s Overtime Rule, Really
The Huffington Post recently ran a piece entitled, “Who Opposes Overtime Pay Increase, Really?” The author, Harlan Green, publisher at PopularEconomics.com, says, “That’s a…
Blog
Give Job Seekers a Break: Get Government Out of the Licensing Business
Public policy easing union organizing is not an economic cure-all, and really wouldn’t help at all—no matter how many times union-backed politicians say so (see…
Blog
Labor Department’s “Persuader Rule” Gives Unfair Advantage to Unions
The Department of Labor’s “persuader rule,” which is set to go into effect on Monday, April 25, will give unions a new tool to…
Blog
Easing Union Organizing Won’t Fix the Economy
Most progressive policy makers view labor unions as the panacea that would address the problem of stagnate wages and disappearing middle class. A proposal to…
Detroit News
NLRB rule threatens worker right to privacy
The National Labor Relations Board, charged with conducting private-sector union elections, is now implementing an “ambush election” rule overhauling the union election process. The rule…
Blog
Employment Lawsuits for Thee, But Not for Me
The New York Times loves legislation that restricts employment-at-will, and it loves to increase penalties for employers who don’t hire and promote in…
Blog
California Court’s Indefensible Defense of Dysfunctional Education Policies
A California appeals court yesterday restored a series of education policies that harm students by making ineffective teachers extremely difficult to fire. The court…
Blog
NLRB Puts Stamp of Approval on Harassment in the Workplace
Around 80 years ago, Congress created the National Labor Relations Board to bring stability to labor relations in the private sector. The current iteration of…
Blog
Pay Gap Myths Spread Around Equal Pay Day
In the lead up to Equal Pay Day this month, supporters of more federal pay regulations promoted myths about the pay gap between men and…
CNS News
Coercive Union Power Can Still Be Abated Despite SCOTUS Decision in Friedrichs
Public sector workers in over 20 states must continue paying union dues, like it or not, after the Supreme Court deadlocked in Friedrichs v California…
Blog
Union Bosses Order Verizon Workers to Strike
Today, union bosses ordered 36,000 Verizon workers on the east coast to strike. Nearly all of these employees, 99 percent, service the Verizon…
WMAL
36,000 Verizon workers go on strike
WMAL discusses the Verizon workers strike with Trey Kovacs. As the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Trey Kovacs puts it, the unions aren’t looking at…
Blog
PBGC’s Perverse Incentives Undermine Multiemployer Pensions
For years, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the federal agency that insures private sector defined benefit (DB) pension plans, has been severely underfunded below…
Watchdog.org
Public employee union spends $28 million on progressive politics
Watchdog.org discusses with Trey Kovacs the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees political spending of $28 million. Trey Kovacs, a policy analyst…
Blog
Federal Minimum Wage: The Case of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is in crisis and drowning in debt. Now it looks like the island’s Development Bank, set up to raise living standards in the…
Blog
Minimum Wages Tradeoffs: Are They Worth It?
Minimum wages help some workers, but only at other workers’ expense. Whether or not these tradeoffs are worth it is for each individual to decide.
Blog
California Minimum Wage Hike Could Cost State Taxpayers $10 Billion
California’s legislative analyst projects that the recent increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour will cost taxpayers $3.6 billion more a year in…
Foundation for Economic Education
Why Is the Middle Class So Angry?
The middle class is angry. Feeling left out of sharing in the nation’s prosperity the way they used to, they are increasingly turning to…
American Legislative Exchange Council
What Can be Done after Friedrichs?
Public sector workers in over 20 states must continue paying union dues, like it or not, after the Supreme Court deadlocked in Friedrichs v California…
Real Clear Policy
Minimum Wage: Is Job Loss Acceptable?
Finally, some minimum-wage advocates are acknowledging the policy's tradeoffs. New School economics professor David Howell recently asked the Washington Post, "Why shouldn't we in…
Blog
Wisconsin Judge Rules that Workers’ Wages are Unions’ Property
On Friday, April 8, a Wisconsin judge handed unions a surprising victory—surprising because of the argument behind his decision.
Charleston Gazette-Mail
Trey Kovacs: NLRB rule threatens worker privacy
Poll after poll indicates Americans value their privacy. Yet government is a top offender in this regard, with federal agencies infringing on private citizens’ information…
Inside Sources
NLRB Rule Threatens Worker Right to Privacy
Poll after poll indicates Americans value their privacy. Yet government is a top offender in this regard, with federal agencies infringing on private citizens’ information…
Blog
Air Traffic Control Reforms Will Give Us Modern Technology, Not Union Giveaways
Guest Post by David Grizzle Former Chief Operating Officer and Chief Counsel, FAA As the former chief operating officer and chief counsel at the…
Blog
Illinois Pension Reform that Can Pass State Supreme Court Muster
When you’re in a hole, stop digging. That seems like such a simple concept that it shouldn’t need stating, but in the area of public…
The Guardian
Conservatives vow to ask supreme court to rehear deadlocked union case
The Guardian discusses the Supreme Court's deadlock on the Friedrich's case with Trey Kovacs. Trey Kovacs, a policy analyst with the Competitive Enterprise…
Reuters
U.S. top court hands win to unions, splits 4-4 without Scalia
Reuters speaks with Iain Murray about impact of Justice Scalia's passing on a labor union case. "The death of Justice Scalia has proved…
Fortune
How Scalia’s Death Handed Public Unions a Huge Supreme Court Victory
Fortune discusses with Iain Murray the impact of Justice Scalia's death on the outcome of a labor case. “The death of Justice Scalia…
Blog
State Legislatures Can Dampen Friedrichs Ruling’s Blow to Worker Freedom
Today, the Supreme Court announced a 4 to 4 spilt decision in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a decision that keeps alive the Abood…
New York Times
Victory for Unions as Supreme Court, Scalia Gone, Ties 4-4
New York Times discusses the Supreme Court deadlock over the Friedrichs case with Trey Kovacs. “With a divided court, thousands of public servants…
Washington Examiner
Supreme Court ruling signals end to conservative hopes for labor reform
The Washington Examiner discusses the Supreme Court's deadlock over the Friedrichs case with Iain Murray. "The death of Justice Scalia has proved a…
Christian Science Monitor
Court without Scalia: Labor unions survive bid to remove dues requirement
The Christian Science Monitor discusses with Iain Murray the impact of Justice Scalia's passing on the Supreme Court decision on a labor union case. …
Daily Caller
China Stops Building Wind Turbines Because Most Of The Energy Is Wasted
The Daily Caller reports on why China is no longer building wind turbines, and speaks with Myron Ebell on their decision. “China is…
Los Angeles Times
Supreme Court’s deadlock on union fees could be the first of many tie votes
The Los Angeles Times quotes Trey Kovacs on the Supreme Court deadlock over the Friedrichs case. “With a divided court, thousands of public…
News Release
Supreme Court Deadlocks on Friedrichs Labor Union Case
The U.S. Supreme Court announced a deadlock, 4 to 4 decision, in a major case involving forced labor union dues, Friedrichs v. California Teachers…
Blog
Freedom of Contract at Risk in Carcano v. McCrory
Virginia’s Dillon rule prevents cities and counties from regulating the employment practices of private businesses. That bars them from setting minimum wages higher than…
Blog
Illinois’ Narrow Road to Pension Reform
On March 24, the Illinois Supreme Court struck down a Chicago pension reform bill that sought to address the city’s considerable pension shortfall. In…
Blog
NLRB Case against McDonald’s Shows Need for Labor Law Reform
At the beginning of the month, the National Labor Relations Board and McDonald’s trial began. The case will determine whether McDonald’s is a joint…
Blog
The Public Pays for Union Political Activity
Taxpayer dollars in state and municipal governments across the country are, normally without public knowledge, used to subsidize government union political undertakings. Clearly, this is…
Republican American
Union business
Republican American reports on Connecticut state employees taking union time funded by taxpayers, and cites Trey Kovacs's report for the Yankee Institute. The Yankee report was prepared…
Blog
Congress Proposes Bill to Nullify Overtime Regulation
This week, the Department of Labor took the last step before the final overtime rule is published and implemented. DOL sent the rule to…
Blog
DOT Compromises Safety and Efficiency for Union Favoritism
Today, a draft proposed rule from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration has been making the rounds. It will be published in the…
Blog
NLRB vs. McDonald’s: The Trial Begins
The long awaited McDonald’s trial in National Labor Relations Board joint employer case begins today. In RealClearPolicy, I discuss the less-than-transparent proceedings leading up…
Real Clear Policy
Labor Regulators Target McDonald’s
Imagine the government brings charges against you but won't tell you what you're accused of. The judge insists you should know and proceeds with the…
Daily Caller
McDonald’s Fights Feds For The Soul Of Its Business Model
The Daily Caller speaks with Trey Kovacs on the McDonald's National Labor Relations Board joint employment trial. “These hearings are scheduled to go…
Study
Union Time on the Taxpayer’s Dime
Originally published at the Yankee Institute Full Document Available in PDF As of early 2016, Connecticut was in collective bargaining negotiations…
Blog
Not Much Business Sense on Capitol Hill
Members of Congress, even some Democrats, are finally coming to terms that the Department of Labor’s proposed overtime rule may be bad for business. Why…
Blog
Obama Administration Policy Threatens Youth Job Opportunities
The National Labor Relations Board’s long-awaited trial involving McDonald’s will begin this week on March 10. The case puts the franchise model in the…
Townhall
Who Ya Gonna Call? How To Tackle The “Ghost Teacher” Problem
Townhall mentions Trey Kovacs's report on the practice known as release time and its cost to taxpayers. The abuse of “ghost teachers” in Philadelphia…
Blog
Uber Publishes Core Principles to Guide Seattle’s Union Election Procedures
Uber maintains that Seattle’s recent ordinance that extends collective bargaining privileges to ridesharing drivers is illegal. However, to cover its bases, Uber issued a letter…
Washington Times
Hindering worker opportunities
Congress passes laws that can upend entire industries, hinder worker opportunities, and raise prices on consumers. But when such laws impact Congress itself,…
Federal News Radio
Pressure mounts on official time as bill moves to House floor vote
Federal News Radio discusses with Trey Kovacs a bill that requires Office of Personnel Management to submit reports on official time. Trey Kovacs, policy…
Bloomberg BNA
FLSA Litigation’s Greatest Hits: Taking Care of Business, and Working Overtime
Bloomberg BNA discusses the Department of Labor's proposed overtime rule with Trey Kovacs. Trey Kovacs, a labor policy expert at the Competitive Enterprise…
Blog
Minimum Wage: The End of Teenage Work Experience?
A new report from JP Morgan Chase & Co. finds that the summer employment rate for teenagers is nearing a record low at 34 percent. The…
Blog
NLRB Undercuts its Own Employees’ Rights
If the NLRB cannot respect the rights of its own employees, is it really capable of governing all private-sector labor relation disputes?…
Daily Caller
Obama Owes His Success To What Other Dems Are Trying To Destroy
The Daily Caller reports on how raiding minimum wage will decrease work for teenagers and discusses how youth will miss out on important skill learning…
Daily Caller
PA School District Spent $1.3M Taxpayer Dollars on Union Salaries
The Daily Caller cites Trey Kovacs study on the costs of "official time" for the federal government and taxpayers. The practice also exists…
Blog
Sharing Economy in the AFL-CIO’s Crosshairs
The AFL-CIO is meeting in San Diego to shape its policy initiatives for the upcoming year. One increasingly popular type of work arrangement is…
Blog
House Oversight Committee Demands Agencies Reveal Union Subsidy Data
On February 12, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee sent out letters to federal agency heads to provide more information on union “official…
Citation
FLSA Litigation’s Greatest Hits: Taking Care of Business, and Working Overtime
Bloomberg BNA discusses the issues with the Department of Labor's overtime rules with Trey Kovacs. Trey Kovacs, a labor policy expert at the Competitive…
Bloomberg BNA
FLSA Litigation’s Greatest Hits: Taking Care of Business, and Working Overtime
Bloomberg BNA discusses the issues with the Department of Labor's overtime rules with Trey Kovacs. Trey Kovacs, a labor policy expert at the Competitive…
Blog
Regulatory Threats to Flexible Employment & Worker Freedom: What Can Congress Do?
The Competitive Enterprise Institute hosted a panel of experts last week to discuss the regulatory threats to flexible employment and worker freedom. The panel also…
Blog
A Majority of States Now Right to Work
Today's historic vote in West Virginia means that now in a majority of states, workers can’t be fired from their job if they choose not…
Daily Caller
Congress Expresses ‘Serious Concern’ Over New Overtime Rules
The Daily Caller reports on CEI's labor congressional briefing which discussed the impact of new overtime rules. The president signed a memo in March…
News Release
Report: Obama Overtime Rule Has Big Costs, Few Benefits
The Obama administration overtime pay mandate will put a big burden on small business and won’t necessarily lead to higher wages, a new report from the Competitive…
Study
Department of Labor’s New Overtime Rule Puts Flexible Work Arrangements and Paths to Success at Risk
Full Document Available in PDF On March 13, 2014, President Obama sent a memorandum to the Secretary of Labor to update and…
Blog
Overtime Rule Is a Threat to Workers and Small Business
By statute, Congress delegated to the Secretary of Labor “the authority to define and delimit the terms of the [overtime] exemptions.” But that doesn’t mean it…
Blog
West Virginia Set to Enact Major Labor Reform with Prevailing Wage Repeal
West Virginia, which appears poised to become the nation’s 26th right to work state, may soon enact another major labor law reform. The state Senate is…
Blog
West Virginia: Prospect for a Right to Work Majority
West Virginia may soon become the nation’s 26th right to work state—making the number of right to work states a majority for the first time.
Study
NLRB’s New Joint Employer Standard Threatens Business Formation and Job Creation
What can we expect from new joint employer standards? Roadblocks to entrepreneurship and job creation.
Blog
Lyft Drivers Remain Independent Contractors
A California class-action lawsuit against ridesharing company Lyft has been settled without trial. In the settlement, Lyft agreed to pay its drivers, their lawyers, and…
Blog
NLRB’s Joint Employer Ruling Challenged in Court
CEI applauds Browning-Ferris’ stand against the National Labor Relations Board's upending of employment liability and flexibility, otherwise known as the new joint employment standard. The…
One News Now
Analyst foresees tension between businesses and DOL
One News Now discusses the Department of Labor's new joint employer standard with Trey Kovacs. "They're not hiring and firing these people, they…
Blog
Labor Policy Developments to Watch in the New Year
Labor policy reform was a fast-moving issue during in the past year. At the federal level, labor policy became more tilted in favor of union…
Daily Caller
How The Obama Admin Forced Through Failed Union Giveaways
The Daily Caller discusses the Department of Labor's new joint employer rule with Trey Kovacs. “Federal labor agency action during the Obama administration…
National Review
The Administration Is Ruling by Decree
Yesterday, the Department of Labor unexpectedly issued a new rule (which it called an interpretation) that will upend thousands of businesses’ established practices. It did…
Michigan Capitol Confidential
In West Virginia Right-to-Work Debate, Unions Re-Use Scare Story Script
The Michigan Capitol Confidential discusses the impact right-to-work law on states with Trey Kovacs. Trey Kovacs, a policy analyst at the Competitive Enterprise Institute,…
News Release
CEI Responds to Department of Labor’s Announcement on Joint Employer Liabilities
CEI labor policy expert Trey Kovacs offered the following response to the sudden announcement from labor regulators imposing new joint employer liabilities: "President…
California Political Review
A Union Bank with a Goal: Victory for the Left
The California Political Review discusses the Amalgamated Bank, a union-owned bank, with Ivan Osario. Ivan Osorio, editorial director at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (and…
Real Clear Policy
Obama Should Rein In the NLRB
In President Obama's State of the Union address, he echoed a theme that has been constant throughout his tenure: "How do we give everyone a…
Blog
How Do We Give Workers a Fair Shot? Remove Regulatory Roadblocks
In President Obama’s State of the Union address, he echoed a theme that has been constant throughout his tenure, saying, “how do we give everyone a…
Blog
Union Subsidy Eliminates So-Called “Free Rider” Problem
On January 11, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a case that could provide right to work…
Blog
Will SCOTUS Friedrichs Case Lead to Member-Only Unions?
Government employee unions have a lot at stake in Supreme Court case, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association—especially access to millions of dollars in compulsory “agency…
Blog
In Friedrichs v. CTA, Supreme Court Can Strike a Blow for Free Speech
Oral arguments in one of the most important Supreme Court labor cases in years are set for January 11, with potential major implications in the…
Blog
Promoting Economic Freedom in 2016
It was Marxists who wanted permanent revolution, but it is capitalists who have delivered it. The last 50 years have seen a sustained revolution in…
Washington Post
How to Keep Fairfax Teachers in the Classroom
The Fairfax County Public Schools system is facing a massive budget shortfall: $72 million for the 2016 school year. With such a large budget deficit,…
Blog
Protecting American Workers and Job Creators with the Omnibus
This week, Congress is working against the clock to avert a government shutdown and pass new spending legislation before the current continuing resolution expires on…
The Washington Examiner
Congress can rein in NLRB by withholding funds
Congress is facing a looming deadline. It needs to pass a bill by Dec. 11 to fund the government for the next fiscal year and…
Blog
Official Time and Criminal Misconduct by Federal Employees
With under two weeks until Congress must pass an omnibus spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, one policy that should be on the chopping…
Talk Radio News Service
Wednesday, December 2 – Union “release time” robs school coffers
Talk Radio News Service mentions Trey Kovacs' report on Fairfax County Public Schools' practice of "release time" which comes at the taxpayer's expense.
News Release
Deficit-Plagued Fairfax County Public Schools Waste Taxpayer Money On Labor Union Business, Report Finds
At a time when the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) are experiencing a serious budget deficit, public school employees get paid by taxpayers to conduct…
Staff & Scholars
Sean Higgins
Research Fellow
- Deregulation
- Labor and Employment
Ryan Young
Senior Economist and Director of Publications
- Antitrust
- Business and Government
- Regulatory Reform
Ivan Osorio
Editorial Director
- Labor and Employment
Iain Murray
Vice President for Strategy and Senior Fellow
- Banking and Finance
- Trade and International