Business Lobbyists Yearn For The Days When Elaine Chao Ran The Labor Department

[hedgehog]

With the calendar turning to 2010, the Associated Press took a look back at the first year of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis’ tenure, pointing out that “her aggressive moves to boost enforcement and crack down on businesses that violate workplace safety rules have sent employers scrambling to make sure they are following the rules.”

In many ways, Solis has completely reversed the course of the Labor Department that was set by her predecessor, Elaine Chao. And Solis’ crackdown has business lobbyists yearning for the days when Chao ran the show:

“Our members are concerned that the department is shifting its focus from compliance assistance back to more of the ‘gotcha’ or aggressive enforcement first approach,” said Karen Harned, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business’ small business legal center…Chao has claimed that success was the result of cooperating with businesses to help them understand the myriad regulations. Keith Smith, a spokesman for the National Association of Manufacturers, said his members “want to build upon progress and recognize what’s working.”

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/01/04/missing-elaine-chao/


Posted by Omaha Steve over in the Labor forum (:hi: )

I think this is another example of changes being made and ignored by the MSM.

[Cha]

1. They''ll thank her

later.

[hedgehog]

2. ?

[jmowreader]

3. I hate it when anyone here quotes the NFIB

Combine the worst features of Americans for Tax Reform and the Cato Institute and you have the National Federation of Independent Business.

[hedgehog]

10. I think the fact that those people are complaining means this is a win for us.

[jenmito]

4. K&R for the Obama=Bush people. n/t

[rockymountaindem]

5. K&R

Lest anyone think I only focus on the negative :)

[JoeyT]

6. My hatred of anyone goes up a notch

when they use the word "gotcha".
Especially when they mean "They're tricking us by enforcing regulations.".

[quaker bill]

7. "Compliance assistance" is normal

Legally, it serves the purpose of putting someone "on notice". It is little more than telling someone "this is what you need to do to comply with the law". Everyone who approaches enforcement and compliance professionally and likes to win in court does this. The question lies in how soon you shift from giving "notice" to collecting penalties for non-compliance. My guess is that during the Bush administration, the answer was "almost never" and that this answer has now shifted to "promptly". When you do this, you get complaints from the regulated community and "gotcha" is a common term they use to describe the experience.

I have been doing this sort of thing professionally for most of the last two decades. Folks on the receiving end rarely enjoy the service, but then, I don't think they should. It is a line of work where "repeat customers" is exactly what you are trying to discourage.

[SpartanDem]

8. Why would the MSM pay attention

when a lot don't pay attention to these things ourselves?

[Arkana]

9. I'm sure they do.

Unfortunately, there's a new sheriff in town--and she carries a .50 cal, not a goddamn slingshot.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

11. Perhaps, but I'm pretty sure everyone, including biz, thought Chao sucked.

She might be better in their eyes than Solis, but there wasn't much remorse when Chao left.

[JohnnyBoots]

12. It's no wonder she is Mrs. Mitch McConnell. What a pair of Slytherins those two are.

Pretty sure their kids are devil spawn...