Jobs With Justice • Sarita Gupta

Americans want the freedom to earn a fair return on their work and an end to profitable corporations and lobbyists rigging the rules while expecting working people to do more with less. Andrew Puzder’s beliefs and actions demonstrate contempt and disrespect for the basics of what working people need to lead a decent life.

How can the American people trust the textbook definition of a bad boss to safeguard their rights and enforce labor laws at the helm of the Department of Labor? The millionaire fast-food giant has repeatedly argued against increases to the minimum wage or overtime pay for the people who make his chain so successful. Andrew Puzder has complained about the need for providing rest breaks and meal breaks in the workplace. And 60 percent of Labor Department investigations into his Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. restaurants have found at least one wage and hour violation. Continue Reading

Economic Policy Institute • Lawrence Mishel

The Secretary of Labor should serve as an advocate for working people, enforcing rules that protect workers and crafting new regulations to make sure everyone gets a fair shake on the job. He or she needs to be a voice for workers in the development of all administration policies. As a low-wage employer, Andrew Puzder has vocally opposed the Affordable Care Act, raising the minimum wage, and President Obama’s overtime rule—three policies that are central to an agenda of raising wages and combatting inequality. While it’s too soon to say what Puzder would do as Labor Secretary—if he is confirmed—there is nothing in his record or his public statements to indicate that he would lead in developing policies and enforcement strategies to generate higher wages and better quality jobs for America’s workers. Donald Trump ran a campaign that was long on rhetoric about helping working people. But will his actual policies enrich business at the expense of workers? Will his administration protect workers and keep them safe on the job? Will he allow people to get paid fairly when they work overtime? All of this is at stake now.