Today, the Education and Workforce Committee approved two pieces of legislation introduced by House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik. The Modern Worker Empowerment Act and the Modern Worker Security Act aim to support American workers, particularly independent contractors.
Stefanik has been advocating for these bills since 2019. “Millions of Americans choose to be independent contractors to have more control of their schedule with increased flexibility,” she stated. “Despite this, the Biden administration decided to turn its back on these workers by proposing a flawed new rule eliminating this work classification, taking away opportunities from hardworking American workers.”
The Modern Worker Empowerment Act seeks to update federal laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act. It aims to provide clear definitions and standards for classifying independent workers.
The companion bill, the Modern Worker Security Act, focuses on ensuring that offering portable benefits does not lead to reclassifying independent contractors as employees under federal law.
These legislative efforts are designed to give more power and flexibility to independent contractors while expanding opportunities beyond traditional employment models.
