ASAP
Policy Week in Review – June 6, 2025
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI’s updates on federal, state, and local matters.
U.S. Department of Labor Expands Opinion Letter Program
In an effort to increase official guidance and provide compliance assistance to the regulated community, the U.S. Department of Labor expanded its opinion letter program on June 2, 2025. This effort should provide guidance on areas handled by multiple enforcement agencies within the DOL. For further Littler analysis, read here.
Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer Testifies on Department Priorities Before House Committee
On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer testified on the Department’s budget proposal and priorities before the House Committee on Education and Workforce. When questioned by democratic committee members about cuts and the downsize of Department’s wage and hour staff, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer assured members it would have no impact on enforcement of the laws. Further, she stated that the Department is reviewing all rules from the Biden era and did not specify a timeline for making decisions on next steps. Additionally, she spoke about her goal to empower the nation’s workforce, and specifically referenced the value of registered apprenticeships, stating that since January 20th almost 83,000 new apprentices registered in programs. For further highlights of the hearing, read here.
Trump Administration Issues New Travel Ban
On June 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation instituting a partial or full travel ban on 19 countries. This comes on the heels of Executive Order 14161 of January 20, 2025: Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats, which directed the secretary of state, the attorney general, the secretary of homeland security, and the director of national intelligence to produce a report identifying countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension. For further Littler analysis, read here.
