Watchdog Group Seeks Release of DOL Communications and Records Related to Attempts to Weaken Obama-Era Regulations Protecting Workers and Investors  

Non-partisan watchdog group American Oversight today sued the Department of the Labor (DOL) to force the release of records related to ongoing efforts to undo the ‘overtime rule’ and the ‘fiduciary rule,’ two Obama-era regulations put in place to expand the number of workers eligible for overtime pay, and protect investors, respectively.

“The Department of Labor’s attempts to roll back the overtime and fiduciary rules are yet additional examples of how the Trump administration has sided with well-connected businesses over the working Americans whose interests the president claims to represent,” said American Oversight Executive Director Austin Evers. “The public has a right to know why the Trump administration believes four million Americans should work for free, and why it’s okay for investment professionals to act in their own financial interests instead of their clients’. Since the administration is staying mum, American Oversight is suing to find out what’s been going on behind closed doors.”

Since taking office, both President Trump and Labor Secretary Acosta have sought to weaken and roll back the fiduciary and overtime rules put in place by President Obama. The overtime rule mandated that salaried employees making less than $47,476 annually be eligible to receive overtime. The fiduciary rule required investment advisors to make decisions based on their clients’ best interests.

American Oversight submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to DOL on July 21^st, requesting communications and documents regarding proposed changes to these two rules. After DOL failed to adequately respond to the FOIA request, American Oversight filed suit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to force the release of relevant documents.

Click HERE to view the complaint.