President Names Alex Acosta to Lead DOL

 A day after Andrew Puzder withdrew his nomination for Secretary of Labor, President Trump named Alex Acosta, current dean of Florida International University’s law school as his pick. Acosta served as a member of the National Labor Relations Board and was assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s civil rights division, having been appointed by George W. Bush. While Acosta’s nomination is proving to be far less controversial than that of Puzder, his confirmation would still mean a dramatic shift from the former Secretary of Labor, Tom Perez. The DOL under Tom Perez pushed through significant rules which affected employers, including the overtime rules currently in limbo. He was also critical in providing an expanded definition of joint employment and who is considered an employee under FLSA. Most experts expect that Acosta, if confirmed, will re-orient the DOL’s priorities away from the regulations promulgated under Perez. However, Perez’s influence hasn’t gone away – just a few days ago his was elected chair as the Democratic National Committee.