The Senate voted 47-41 to confirm the Honorable Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor, on Wednesday night (September 30), a role he has served on an interim basis since former Secretary DeRemer stepped down in April amidst scandal. Mr. Sonderling previously served as Deputy Secretary in the current administration and has held several governmental posts, including as EEOC Commissioner.
Why it matters: Sonderling has a long-standing positive relationship with the employer community and is known for pragmatic policymaking over political rhetoric. His confirmation signals continuity on the Trump administration’s deregulatory posture while putting a Secretary in place who has spent years publicly thinking about how federal employment law applies to AI-driven hiring, performance management, and workforce analytics.
What to expect: Sonderling was already widely seen as the focal point of the administration’s labor and employment policy in his role as Deputy Secretary; his confirmation represents a formal recognition of his role rather than any significant change in course on policymaking.
CHRO takeaways:
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Expect continued rollback or non-enforcement of Biden-era wage-and-hour and worker-classification rules such as overtime thresholds, independent contractor status, and joint employer standards as the near-term flashpoints.
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Sonderling’s AI track record suggests DOL guidance on algorithmic hiring and workforce surveillance is coming. Employers using AI in talent decisions should expect principles-based guidance rather than prescriptive rules—but documentation and bias-testing practices will still matter, if challenged.
