- House Bill Could Expand Worker Access to Direct Primary Care
- Trump Nominates Aronowitz to Lead EBSA
- Democratic AGs Defend Legality of ‘DEIA’ Programs
- Amazon Warehouse Workers in North Carolina Hold Vote to Unionize
- Gap Orders Employees to Return to Office Five Days a Week
- Chevron Plans to Cut Up to 20% of Staff
House Bill Could Expand Worker Access to Direct Primary Care
Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pennsylvania) on Feb. 5 reintroduced the Primary Care Enhancement Act for the 119th Congress. The bill would allow patients using Direct Primary Care (DPC) to contribute to their health savings accounts (HSAs) and use HSA funds to pay for direct primary care fees.
According to a press release from Rep. Smucker, the legislation would clarify provisions of the Internal Revenue Code to remove barriers for individuals with HSAs from using those funds to access DPC, a healthcare delivery model that may provide high-quality care at lower cost for consumers.
A bipartisan list of cosponsors (two Republicans and three Democrats) supports the bill. It also has the backing of the Americans for Prosperity, the Council for Affordable Health Coverage and the Purchasers Business Group on Health.
Trump Nominates Aronowitz to Lead EBSA
On Feb. 13, President Donald Trump nominated Daniel Aronowitz, a labor lawyer, fiduciary firm president and labor law blogger, to be assistant secretary of Labor within the Department of Labor and administrator of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).
EBSA oversees activities related to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), including administration of 401(k) plans and self-insured employer health plans. It also works with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Internal Revenue Service to implement, interpret and enforce federal laws such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Aronowitz must be confirmed by the Senate to gain the position. Trump previously nominated Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican House member from Oregon, to be secretary of labor.
Democratic AGs Defend Legality of ‘DEIA’ Programs
A coalition of 16 Democratic state attorneys (AGs) general issued a guidance document on Feb. 13 that defended the legality of corporate programs that promote equitable and diverse workplaces.
The document — from the AGs of Massachusetts, Illinois, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont — was created in response to President Donald Trump’s executive orders that threaten enforcement actions against private-sector employers for “diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility” (DEIA) programs that the administration deems illegal.
The document stated, “Policies and practices that promote [DEIA] are not the same as preferences in individual hiring and promotion decisions that have been found to be unlawful. The executive order cannot and does not prohibit these otherwise lawful practices and policies. ... Employment policies incorporating [DEIA] best practices are not only compliant with state and federal civil rights laws, but they also help to reduce litigation risk by affirmatively protecting against discriminatory conduct that violates the law. Effective policies and practices foster the development of inclusive and respectful workplaces where all employees are supported and encouraged to do their best work. When companies have such policies, employees are less likely to be subjected to unlawful discrimination, and companies are less likely to be held liable for such discriminatory conduct. ... Companies should be fully confident that they can continue to implement these policies and programs to advance their business objectives and help ensure they remain compliant with state and federal civil rights laws.”
Amazon Warehouse Workers in North Carolina Hold Vote to Unionize
More than 4,000 Amazon warehouse workers in Garner, North Carolina, began voting this week on whether to join the Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE), which seeks to push Amazon for higher wages, longer breaks and more scheduling flexibility. They will need a simple majority among voters to join the union. Voting is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, Feb. 15.
CAUSE secretary Italo Medelius-Marsano said the group is hoping to negotiate for wages of as much as $30 per hour and breaks of an hour, double what he said was the current time allowed for lunch, as well as better job protections.
Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards said the company opposed the formation of the union in North Carolina. “We’ve always said that we want our employees to have their voices heard, and we hope and expect this process allows for that,” Hards said in a statement, referring to the union vote. “We believe our employees favor opportunities to have their unique voice heard by working directly with our team.”
She stated pay starts at $18.50 at the North Carolina warehouse, more than double the state’s minimum wage.
If the vote is successful, the warehouse would be the first Amazon facility in the South and the second in the U.S. to unionize. On April 1, 2022, Amazon workers at a warehouse in the New York borough of Staten Island became the first unionized Amazon workers recognized by the National Labor Relations Board.
Gap Orders Employees to Return to Office Five Days a Week
San Francisco-based apparel and accessories retailer Gap Inc. has ordered all of its corporate employees who live near an office to return Mondays through Fridays by September, according to the San Francisco Business Times. The remote work changes apply to all Gap offices — including its product development headquarters in New York City — and across its Gap, Athleta, Banana Republic and Old Navy brands.
“Creativity thrives on in-person collaboration, innovation comes to life through live brainstorming,” a Gap Inc. spokesperson wrote in an email to the Business Times. “In an effort to foster an even stronger community across Gap Inc., beginning in February, employees located near an office have begun coming in more frequently with the goal of being back in the office five days a week by the fall.”
Gap Inc. joins the growing number of U.S. companies, such as Amazon, JPMorgan and AT&T, who have required employees to fully return to the office.
Chevron Plans to Cut Up to 20% of Staff
As reported by Reuters, Chevron will lay off 15% to 20% of its global workforce by the end of 2026.
The oil company said it is targeting up to $3 billion in cost cuts through 2026 from leveraging technology, asset sales, and changing how and where work is performed.
According to Reuters, Chevron employed 40,212 people across its operations at the end of 2023. A layoff of 20% of total employees would be about 8,000 people. Those figures exclude another 5,400 or so employees of Chevron service stations.
“Chevron is taking action to simplify our organizational structure, execute faster and more effectively, and position the company for stronger long-term competitiveness,” said Chevron vice chairman Mark Nelson said in a statement. “We do not take these actions lightly, and will support our employees through the transition.”
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