Worker Policy Watch
Your source for accurate and reliable information on how federal policies are shaping workers’ rights—and what’s at stake for working people nationwide under the Trump administration.
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Trump Administration Adds Additional Limitations on Use of Project Labor Agreements
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, architect of Project 2025, issued a memorandum adding new limitations on the use of project labor agreements in federal construction projects.
Impact:
Project labor agreements are pre-hire collective bargaining agreements that set the terms of employment for a particular construction project. These agreements often promote fair pay and working conditions and set the stage for effective collaboration between the project managers and labor unions. Limitations on the use of these agreements could result in job sites with lower pay and more unsafe conditions for workers.
White House Threatens Massive Expansion of Worksite Immigration Enforcement
White House immigration advisor Tom Homan said in an interview that the administration plans to ramp up workplace immigration enforcement, and potentially target employers for civil and criminal prosecution.
Impact:
Homan said that in addition to targeting immigrant workers for deportation, the administration hoped to intimidate employers away from hiring immigrant workers and discourage immigrant workers from seeking employment.
Department of Education Asks Fired Workers If and When They Can Return to Their Jobs
A federal judge ordered reinstatement of more than 1,400 DOE employees found to be wrongfully terminated; DOE has reached out to them to see who can come back and when.
Impact:
The administration is appealing this ruling, and there is no confirmation that anyone has been brought back yet. This is all part of the administration's plan to eliminate the DOE.
Department of Education Transfers Responsibility for Grant Programs to DOL
The U.S. Departments of Labor and Education agreed to transfer funding for, and administration of, a suite of education grant programs. DOL will now administer some of the Department of Education’s career, technical, and adult education grants.
Impact:
This move comes as part of the Trump administration’s broader cuts to, and reorganization of, the federal government—which includes an effort to dismantle the Department of Education and cut its staff.
DOL is Considering Stripping Home Care Workers of Rights to Minimum Wage and Overtime
This workforce, which is largely populated by women of color and immigrants, was finally granted federal minimum wage and overtime rights in 2015.
Impact:
Despite enjoying these rights for a decade, this administration clearly has no respect for the grueling and important work done by the over two million home care workers in this country. If DOL repeals these rights, home care workers will see less pay and be forced to work longer hours, endangering their physical health and safety and possibly the health and safety of the people they care for.
Revised OSHA Inspection Program Aims to Increase Likelihood of Worksite Inspections
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently updated its site-specific targeting inspection program to increase the likelihood of on-site inspections at warehousing, transportation, and healthcare facilities.
Impact:
Workers in these industries face significant rates of injury, and increased employer accountability from OSHA is a welcome development. However, there are questions about OSHA’s capacity to carry out the program given the Trump administration's efforts to downsize the federal government, including the U.S. Department of Labor, through layoffs and resignation incentives. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has said that she has no plans to cut OSHA safety enforcement work, but workers across the agency have received buyout offers, and a significant number have taken them.
Food and Drug Administration Announces It No Longer Recognizes Federal Labor Unions and Will Not Bargain With Them
Workers in these unions, many of whom are facing layoffs, no longer have access to a grievance procedure or representation from their unions.
Impact:
The administration is trying to remove all union rights from tens of thousands of employees in this agency so it can fire them at will, contrary to federal law and their collective bargaining agreements.
Federal Court Stops the Abrupt Closure of All Jobs Corps Programs
Job Corps is a residential job-training program for young adults, including many who aged out of foster care, that serves people who are likely to have difficulty getting good jobs. Participants are housed, fed, and supported while learning important job skills, but the Trump administration sought to shutter the program immediately, which would have left potentially thousands of people homeless.
Impact:
Over 60,000 young adults depend on this program annually.
DOL Signals Intention to Change Course on Prevailing Wage Regulations
In a court filing in litigation related to its regulation implementing the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) stated that the agency is reconsidering its position on the rule.
Impact:
This could signal that the Trump administration plans to rescind or change the regulation. In 2023, the Biden administration updated the Davis-Bacon regulations, aiming to ensure that workers on federally funded projects are paid fair wages. Rolling back these updates would harm the workers building our nation’s infrastructure and disrupt projects building roads, bridges, and factories that create jobs and support our communities.
Supreme Court Allows DOGE to Access Social Security Information
DOGE staff now have access to Social Security numbers, medical records, and tax and banking information for all Social Security number holders in the United States.
Impact:
The privacy concerns are staggering, and data breaches or leaks could have drastic impacts on workers throughtout the country.