Posts tagged Keith Sonderling
Secretary of Labor: Keith Sonderling
July 20, 2026 // Keith Sonderling is President Trump’s nominee to serve as the next Secretary of Labor. He currently serves as Acting Secretary of Labor, a role he was designated to on April 20, 2026, following the departure of former Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Prior to that, Sonderling served as the U.S. Deputy Secretary…
I4AW Urges Senate to Support Keith Sonderling’s Nomination for Labor Secretary Ahead of nomination hearing, 12 groups sign coalition letter to Senate HELP Committee
July 14, 2026 // Institute for the American Worker (I4AW) organized a coalition letter signed by 12 groups urging the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) to support the swift confirmation of Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling for Secretary in a permanent capacity. The Senate HELP Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Sonderling this Thursday, July 16. Sonderling stepped in as Acting Secretary in April to fill the role after former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez DeRemer departed the Trump administration.
Independent Women’s Voice Supports the Confirmation of Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor
July 12, 2026 // Critically, Sonderling understands that our dynamic economy is ever-evolving to create opportunities for Americans to work on their own terms. A third of the U.S. workforce has freelanced in the last year, with a significant proportion being women. Independent contracting allows women to support themselves while balancing important priorities such as caregiving for loved ones and managing their health issues. He will ensure that federal policy respects freedom, flexibility, and economic opportunity for American workers.
Op-ed: To High Praise and Hallelujahs, Trump Nominates Keith Sonderling for Secretary of Labor
June 30, 2026 // As Acting Secretary, Sonderling has strongly advocated for Trump's pro-business and pro-worker agenda, touting the manufacturing jobs that have been returned to the U.S., and has worked tirelessly to beef up and expand apprenticeships through the U.S. Department of Labor for small businesses and private-sector concerns. Under Biden's DOL, apprenticeships were issued through the major labor unions like the AFL-CIO and SEIU, effectively cutting out any private sector opportunities. Sonderling has also long been a champion for defined benefit pension plan sponsors to be able to use group annuities to protect pension benefits through pension risk transfers, and to allow employers to incorporate retirement plan options like cryptocurrency assets and private credit funds. But most pivotal, Sonderling is working hand-in-hand with the Fraud Task Force to eradicate the rampant unemployment insurance fraud.
Op-ed: Trump needs a pro-worker head of Labor Department — not a union lapdog
June 11, 2026 // The right choice for labor secretary is the one right under President Donald Trump’s nose. That’s Keith Sonderling, who is now the acting labor secretary. He is pro-right to work. He will fight against the trial lawyers and the militant union bosses who have been hostile to Trump, even as rank-and-file union workers embrace Trump’s America First agenda. Sonderling is right that “Trump is the greatest president for American workers, including union workers,” in history. Not too many union leaders believe that, which is why upwards of 90% of their donations typically go to Democrats.
Trump needs a pro-worker head of Labor Department — not a union lapdog
June 10, 2026 // The right choice for labor secretary is the one right under President Donald Trump’s nose. That’s Keith Sonderling, who is now the acting labor secretary. He is pro-right to work. He will fight against the trial lawyers and the militant union bosses who have been hostile to Trump, even as rank-and-file union workers embrace Trump’s America First agenda. Sonderling is right that “Trump is the greatest president for American workers, including union workers,” in history. Not too many union leaders believe that, which is why upwards of 90% of their donations typically go to Democrats.
Spirit Airlines Ceasing Operations, Sends Letter to Administration with Urgent Actions to Protect Workers
May 6, 2026 // Urge the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York overseeing Spirit Airlines’ liquidation to prioritize the full and timely payment of workers’ earned compensation and benefits. Maintain the healthcare plans for Spirit Flight Attendants through the remainder of the 2026 plan year and ensure automatic enrollment. Provide a temporary $600 weekly supplement to state unemployment benefits for a period of six months. Coordinate with U.S. airlines to prioritize the hiring of displaced Spirit Flight Attendants, supported by a temporary federal wage subsidy to accelerate onboarding. Extend Flexible Spending Account (FSA) usage periods and the provision of emergency childcare subsidies.
Acting Labor Sec. Sonderling likely to move up to top job
April 28, 2026 // Sonderling, 43, is a veteran of Trump's first administration, in which he served as acting administrator of the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division and later as a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The West Palm Beach attorney and grandchild of Holocaust survivors has been widely considered a voice for conservatives within the Labor Department. This contrasts with Chavez-DeRemer, who was appointed largely due to support from Teamsters union President Sean O'Brien and drew criticism on the right for her past opposition to right-to-work laws.
Opinion– Editorial Board: Why the Republican-union alliance never works
April 22, 2026 // "The new acting secretary, Keith Sonderling, is a more conventional Republican choice for the job. Respected by conservatives, he would sail through the Senate confirmation process if nominated. He has already been competently running the department as deputy secretary, as it has advanced deregulation and protected independent contractor status for 11.9 million workers"
DOL once again set to tackle joint employer, independent contractor regulations
August 20, 2025 // Meanwhile, DOL in May told the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that it would no longer defend the last administration’s rule allowing retirement plan fiduciaries to consider environmental, social and governance, or ESG, factors when making investment decisions from a lawsuit filed by several Republican-led states. In another shift, DOL in June said it would begin issuing opinion letters through five of its subagencies. The agency’s new regime published the first such letter in May on the subject of the independent contractor classification status for virtual marketplace company workers. The letter reinstated a stance DOL previously articulated in a 2019 letter that had been rescinded during the Biden administration.