Trump Administration Targets Over 60 Labor Protections for Overhaul

A new analysis from the Century Foundation characterizes the proposed rollbacks as a direct assault on labor standards. Among the most significant changes is the reversal of a 2013 rule that guaranteed minimum wage and overtime pay for home healthcare workers. Researchers warn this will inevitably suppress earnings for caregivers who already average less than $17 per hour, while emboldening agencies to mandate excessive work weeks.

The administration is also targeting a Biden-era directive that restricted the payment of subminimum wages to disabled workers. Currently, nearly 40,000 employees with intellectual disabilities rely on these federal protections. Additionally, the proposal threatens to strip away safeguards for seasonal migrant farmworkers under the H-2A visa program, potentially exposing them to retaliation for reporting wage theft or mistreatment.

Safety oversight faces a similar contraction. The Department of Labor aims to weaken OSHA’s general duty clause by exempting roles deemed "inherently risky." While officials frame this as a narrow adjustment for athletes and stunt performers, critics like Andrew Stettner argue the vague language invites widespread employer abuse. This shift follows earlier efforts to scale back heat-stress protections and reduce safety monitoring for coal miners, including those at risk of black lung disease. Stettner described the pivot as a clear indication of an anti-worker agenda that prioritizes deregulation over the physical and financial security of the workforce.