1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

H.R. 1319, the Modern Worker Empowerment Act, is a dangerous and unnecessary attempt to redefine what it means to be an employee — and it does so with language so vague, it invites abuse. This bill would make it easier for employers to misclassify workers as independent contractors by focusing narrowly on “significant control” while ignoring the real-world power imbalance in these relationships. That’s not empowerment — it’s a legal shield for exploitation. If Congress is serious about helping workers, the focus should be on raising the federal minimum wage and providing universal healthcare — not redefining employment in a way that strips people of overtime, paid leave, and unemployment protections. Misclassification already costs workers billions. This bill would make it worse. I urge you to oppose H.R. 1319 and any similar effort to weaken the definition of “employee” under federal law. Workers don’t need more ambiguity — they need real protections and a living wage.