,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #fbde  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #ab1 #bjbj,mr4   
,k5n$y introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,education &  
,labor  ,a ,,bill  ,to prohibit !       
,secret>y ( ,labor f implem5t+ or en=c+ 
! f9al rule on jo9t employ] /atus4  #a4 
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,uphold+ ,work] ,protections ,act4  #b4 
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds t3 7#a7 ,"u !     
,fair ,labor ,/&>ds ,act 7,,flsa71 an   
employee c h jo9t employ]s :o are bo?   
responsible1 individually & jo9tly1 =   
comply+ ) ! law's m9imum wage1 ov]time1 
& *ild labor requirem5ts4  7#b7 ,9      
adopt+ ! ,,flsa1 ,congress e/abli%$ a   
broad def9ition ( employ to include to  
suff] or p]mit to "w4 ,9 us+ ?is        
def9ition1 ,congress reject$ ! n>r[]    
common law /&>d ( employm5t1 :i* turns  
on ! degree to :i* ! employ] has control
 ov] an employee4  7#c7 ,z ! ,supreme   
,c\rt not$ 9 ,unit$ ,/ates v4           
,ros5wass]1 ! ,,flsa's def9ition (      

employm5t is ! broade/ def9ition t has  
ev] be5 includ$ 9 any "o act4 ,! bread? 
( ! ,,flsa's employm5t /&>d 0 necess>y  
to accompli% its goal ( elim9at+ sub/&>d
 labor conditions4  7#d7 ,= decades1 !  
,supreme ,c\rt & ! ,circuit ,c\rts (    
,appeals h effectuat$ ,congress's int5t 
to broadly def9e employm5t1 & ?us jo9t  
employm5t1 "u ! ,,flsa by apply+ an     
economic realities te/ to det]m9e :e!r !
 employee is economically dep5d5t on !  
pot5tial jo9t employ]4  7#e7 ,on ,janu>y
 #af1 #bjbj1 ! ,labor ,dep>tm5t publi%$ 
an int]pretive regulation t seeks to    
significantly limit jo9t employm5t      
liability "u ! ,,flsa4  7#f7 ,! ,labor  
,dep>tm5t's int]pretation conflicts ) ! 
,,flsa1 congressional int5t1 & judicial 
prec$5t by n>r[ly re/rict+ jo9t         
employm5t to a "q ( control & reject+ ! 
economic dep5d5ce inquiry4  7#g7 ,9     
rec5t decades1 _m employ]s h increas+ly 
mov$ away f ! direct hir+ ( employees & 
in/ead engag$ subcontract$ work]s1      
tempor>y work]s1 & us$ fran*isees1      

creat+ a fissur+ ( ! workplace4 ,work]s 
9 ! fissur$ workplace (t5 h l[] pay &   
limit$ b5efits1 exac]bat+ income        
inequality4  7#h7 ,z an int]pretive     
regulation1 ?is rule does n h ! =ce (   
law1 b w dictate h[ & if ! ,dep>tm5t w  
cont9ue to hold employ]s acc\ntable :5  
!y are jo9tly liable = ,,flsa           
violations4  7#i7 ,! ,labor ,dep>tm5t's 
flaw$ int]pretive rule c\ld increase    
wage !ft & workplace fissur+ by         
inc5tiviz+ employ]s to outs\rce "w to   
labor int]m$i>ies & subcontractors to   
avoid ,,flsa liability4 ,increas$ use ( 
labor int]m$i>ies or subcontractors t   
are prone to inadequate ,,flsa          
compliance w\ld leave work]s vuln]able  
to wage !ft4 ,if su* entities are ?9ly  
capitaliz$1 work]s may be unable to     
recov] any back pay ow$4  7#aj7 ,accord+
 ! ,economic ,policy ,in/itute1 increas$
 wage !ft & workplace fissur+ "u ?is    
int]pretive rule c\ld co/ work]s m ?an a
 billion doll>s ea* ye>4  #c4           
,prohibition on implem5t+ or en=c+ f9al 

rule on jo9t employ] /atus ,not)/&+ any 
o!r provision ( law1 ! ,secret>y (      
,labor may n implem5t or en=ce ! f9al   
rule on ,jo9t ,employ] ,/atus "u ! ,fair
 ,labor ,/&>ds ,act publi%$ by !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,labor 9 ! ,f$]al ,regi/] on
 ,janu>y #af1 #bjbj 7#he ,f$4 ,reg4     
#bhbj et seq474