March 2022
An Extraordinary Moment For All Black Women and Black People, for All Women,
and For All Working People
On February 24, 2022, The Institute published a blog piece written by Corinne A. Williams, our PHT Attorney Fellow, on the historical importance of President Biden’s commitment to nominating a Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court. “An Extraordinary Moment For All Black Women and Black People, for All Women, and For All Working People” details the many reasons this historic occasion is a win for all. To quote the piece:

“Rulings that affect the lives of millions of working people should be decided by a Supreme Court that includes Americans who reflect the lived experiences of the people of our country, and Black women bring a distinct perspective that has never been present on the Court. To sit at the intersection of Blackness and womanhood is a unique experience where fairness in everyday life is something that cannot be assumed. We cannot know or measure in advance what a Black woman on our highest Court will do, but I know it will bring us a step closer to justice, which is needed now more than ever.” The Institute is excited to follow this important development.
In The News
Union organizers were arrested by the NYPD outside of the Staten Island Amazon warehouse for obstruction of governmental administration and trespassing.

President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Labor unions and workers' advocates are applauding her nomination to the high court.

Major League Baseball has canceled the first two games of the season because the league and the players association have not reached a new collective bargaining agreement.

Unemployment claims are at a record low in the United States despite the ongoing labor shortage.
Workers' Rights By The Numbers
1.5 Million
The number of people on unemployment rolls by February 12th, the lowest since 1970.

12
Number of minutes it takes an official to review an application for an immigrant’s work permit.
(Vox)
In The Courts
Several servers for a New York City electronic music festival are suing the festival organizers for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Law, claiming that they were misclassified as independent contractors. See Kuan v. Notoriety Group LLC et al.

Lyft is asking a Massachusetts federal judge to arbitrate a proposed class action that was brought by drivers alleging that they were misclassified as independent contractors. See Cunningham v. Lyft, Inc. et al.
The Workers' Rights Briefing is a monthly newsletter designed to help keep you up-to-date on breaking news and emerging trends impacting America's workers. From the growth of forced arbitration of employment disputes, to employee misclassification, to stories of wage theft and workplace discrimination, the Workers' Rights Briefing reports on employment law and policy developments from the federal government to state legislatures to the courtroom and everywhere in between. Our goal is to provide you with a digestible snapshot of the events shaping employment law and policy so that you can be kept abreast of the most important issues facing today's workers.