September 14th, 2017
House Highlights Urgency of Priority Joint Employer Issue in FY ‘18 Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, September 14 — Coalition to Save Local Businesses Executive Director Michael Layman released the statement below following House passage of H.R. 3354, the “Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018,” which includes a provision prohibiting funds from being used to enforce the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) expanded “joint employer” policy:
“Addressing the NLRB’S expanded joint employer standard in this funding bill is an important step towards restoring certainty for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in every community in America,” said Layman. “It is clear that Members of Congress have listened as local business owners have described the impact of this misguided policy on their ability to create jobs, serve their communities, and plan for future growth. We appreciate the support of Members from both parties, and we are optimistic that today’s vote, along with the continued forward momentum of the Save Local Business Act, indicates that clarity and certainty for local businesses is on the way.”
In addition to the provision included in today’s funding bill, CSLB members have also expressed support for H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act. This important legislation would update the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and FLSA to provide clarity for local businesses on what it means to be a “joint employer.” Under this bipartisan legislation, an employer may be considered a joint employer of a worker only if it “directly, actually, and immediately” exercises significant control over the primary elements of employment, such as hiring, firing, determining pay, or supervising employees on a routine basis.
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The Coalition to Save Local Businesses represents thousands of local businesses and millions of American jobs through its membership and partner organizations. The coalition’s goal is to inform Members of Congress and others about the negative consequences decisions by the National Labor Relations Board to expand the definition of who can be held as a joint employer would have on local businesses and their employees across the country. The coalition is asking Congress to support legislation that would make permanent the long-standing and widely accepted definition of joint employer. To learn more about the coalition visit the website, www.SaveLocalBusinesses.com.