Is Fayrouz Saad able to change the US labor market for the better?
Recent national headlines have heralded the appointment of Fayrouz Saad to the Biden-Harris transition team as the transition’s Lead for the Office of Personnel Management. The position puts Saad in charge of overseeing hiring and personnel decisions, a role that may prove especially critical with the incoming administration’s ambitious agenda.
Saad and her colleagues face a daunting challenge: reshaping the nation’s labor market in ways that benefit both employers and employees. But can Saad and her team make a lasting change?
The short answer is maybe. With President Joe Biden’s plan to “Build Back Better,” Saad has been tapped to help implement policies that will affect labor markets across the country. She has already indicated an interest to target employment laws—particularly those related to pay and leave—that will impact how firms interact with workers.
Efforts such as increasing the minimum wage and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit are likely to be on her agenda. Other likely items include enacting more equitable hiring practices, making it easier for politicians to unionize, and advocating for more labor-friendly policies being adopted by Congress.
Whether or not Saad can ultimately bring lasting change, however, remains to be seen. Economic forces—such as economic downturns—will certainly play a role in shaping outcomes. As she takes on her crucial role within the Biden-Harris transition team, it’ll be important for lawmakers, businesses, and citizens across the country to get behind her ambitious efforts towards creating improvement for workers nationwide.
The US labor market is facing difficult challenges. As the cost of living rises and wages remain stagnant, it has become increasingly difficult for working people to make ends meet. However, Detroit-area congressional candidate Fayrouz Saad may be able to bring about much needed change.
Saad, a highly educated woman with a demonstrated career in progressive politics and public service, is running for a seat in Michigan’s 11th Congressional district and has made the US labor market her top priority. She knows from first-hand experience that too many hardworking Americans are struggling, and she has proposed several solutions.
First, Saad advocates for a higher minimum wage that can better serve as an anchor for wages throughout the economy. While this may require legislative action on the federal level, Saad also suggests that employers can do more by paying municipal workers at least $15 per hour. This could help alleviate the budgetary strain that many municipalities endure while also lifting up individuals who need it most.
Additionally, Saad is also proposing tax incentives targeted to employers who emphasize career growth and development opportunities within their organizations. Research further supports the argument that offering sufficient training and advancement will go a long way towards bettering pay inequality across genders and races, giving even greater reason to pursue these incentives.
Given her background and political experience, Fayrouz Saad is uniquely prepared to advocate for more equitable policies in the US labor market. While she won’t be able to achieve this without additional help from legislation makers and businesses alike, it’s fair to say that she’s an advocate worth investing in.