Scott, Committee Democrats Urge Senate to Fully Account for Puzder’s Business Record
WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), and other Committee on the Education and the Workforce Democrats sent a letter to the leaders on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, urging them to conduct a complete and thorough investigation of Andrew Puzder, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Labor. In light of Mr. Puzder’s past statements and business practices, there are serious concerns about whether he would fulfill this critical mission if confirmed as Labor Secretary.
“Mr. Puzder’s restaurants have repeatedly been found in violation of the very workplace laws that, as Secretary of Labor, he would be charged with enforcing,” the Members wrote. “In the past seven years, the Department of Labor has found wage and hour violations in 60 percent of its investigations of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants. CKE franchise restaurants have also been found in violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). In fact, Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.’s restaurants have been found in violation of OSHA rules 87 times in the past sixteen years. If confirmed, Mr. Puzder will lead the agency charged with enforcing many of our nation’s workplace laws—the same agency that found his companies to be frequent violators of health and safety and wage and hour laws.”
The members urge Senate leaders to insist that Mr. Puzder fully account for the working conditions in his own restaurants, and explain how he plans to protect American workers from exploitation and abuse, prior to voting on his nomination.
The full text of the letter can be found below:
Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray,
We write to urge you to conduct a complete and thorough investigation of Andrew Puzder, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Department of Labor, before holding a vote on his nomination. The Department of Labor’s mission is: “To foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.” In light of Mr. Puzder’s past statements and business practices, we have concerns about whether he would fulfill this critical mission if confirmed as Secretary of Labor.
Mr. Puzder’s restaurants have repeatedly been found in violation of the very workplace laws that, as Secretary of Labor, he would be charged with enforcing. In the past seven years, the Department of Labor has found wage and hour violations in 60 percent of its investigations of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants. CKE franchise restaurants have also been found in violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). In fact, Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.’s restaurants have been found in violation of OSHA rules 87 times in the past sixteen years. If confirmed, Mr. Puzder will lead the agency charged with enforcing many of our nation’s workplace laws—the same agency that found his companies to be frequent violators of health and safety and wage and hour laws.
A new study also found that during Mr. Puzder’s tenure as CEO of CKE Restaurants, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s have been subject to more employment discrimination lawsuits than any other major U.S. hamburger chain. Of the lawsuits examined by the study’s authors, many were settled on confidential terms that prohibited workers from discussing their claims.
We urge this Committee to question Mr. Puzder about his willingness to continue the robust enforcement necessary to protect American workers from wage theft, on the job injuries, and workplace discrimination. Mr. Puzder’s track record raises serious questions about whether he would carry out these responsibilities robustly or fairly.
As a CEO in an industry that pays workers some of the lowest wages in the nation, Mr. Puzder has opposed a meaningful increase in the federal minimum wage. He has also opposed updates to the overtime rules to restore the traditional forty hour workweek and give more workers the right to earn overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week. Mr. Puzder has claimed that some low-wage jobs do not “… produce enough economic value to bear [a minimum wage] increase…” We urge you to ask Mr. Puzder what he would do to help raise the pay for America’s workforce.
Prior to voting on his nomination, we urge you to insist that Mr. Puzder fully account for the working conditions in his own restaurants, and explain how he plans to protect American workers from exploitation and abuse.
Sincerely,
Press Contact
Democratic Press Office, 202-226-0853
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