Yesterday, President Trump’s then nominee for Secretary of Labor, Andy Puzder, withdrew his nomination ahead of his confirmation hearing given the increasing opposition to his nomination by both parties. Less than 24 hours later, President Trump announced Alexander Acosta as his new choice for Secretary of Labor. Mr. Acosta is currently the dean of Florida International University College of Law but has experience in both the public and private sector. Some of Mr. Acosta’s prior positions include being appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a member of the National Labor Relations Board, his appointment to the role of Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and a high profile role as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. If confirmed, Mr. Acosta will be the first Hispanic member of President Trump’s cabinet.
It’s too early to tell what type of agenda we could see from the DOL if Mr. Acosta is confirmed but he likely will be a little more worker-friendly than Mr. Puzder. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available regarding Mr. Acosta.