A newly seated Republican majority on the National Labor Relations Board has reinstated the narrower 2020 joint‑employer standard, reversing a broader Biden‑era rule that never took effect after being struck down in court. The revived test requires companies to have direct and immediate control over essential working conditions before they can be held jointly responsible for bargaining or labor‑law violations involving contractors or franchise workers. Business groups have long favored this approach, while unions argue it ignores how large corporations influence working conditions indirectly through franchise and staffing arrangements. The decision is expected to face legal challenges and signals further rollbacks of union‑friendly policies adopted under the previous administration.
See "NLRB resurrects rule from Trump's first term limiting 'joint employment'", Daniel Wiessner, Reuters, March 2, 2026