Trump Independent Contractor Rule Stalled by Agency Discord

The Labor Department’s race against the election-year calendar to craft a rule that would set parameters for when businesses can classify workers as independent contractors is jeopardized by an internal conflict over its legality and concerns that the November election’s results could doom the project.

Fast-tracking a rulemaking so that it could take effect before Inauguration Day in January is a priority for DOL leadership due to the possibility of the White House switching hands. A proposed rule was completed in May, but has been in a holding pattern because of discord among DOL officials and attorneys about the legal ...