Adams Asks Department of Labor to Extend Comment Period for Proposed Rules to Protect Workers

Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Chairwoman of the Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary R. Alexander Acosta asking to extend the comment period for three recent DOL proposals on minimum wage and overtime pay exemptions, regular rate, joint employer liability under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

These proposals have a combined 112,000 words and were all published in the same two and a half weeks. The comment deadlines for these rules are all within 18 days – not enough time for stakeholders to meaningfully participate in the regulatory process.

"These proposals will impact millions of workers. Stakeholders must have enough time to carefully review each rule," said Congresswoman Adams. "The Department of Labor should stagger these comment deadlines so that they are no less than 21 days apart. The Department must hear from as many stakeholders as possible, so these rules can be better tailored to be most beneficial to workers."