Labor Department’s Top Lawyer Wants Political Review of Lawsuits

The Labor Department’s Trump-appointed political officials will be assured a larger role in DOL litigation involving certain divisive topics, according to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg Law.

Solicitor of Labor Kate O’Scannlain earlier this year ordered her office’s civil service leadership to consult with political agency heads before filing lawsuits and related pleadings against employers. The directive applies to “key dispositive motions,” such as complaints and motions for summary judgment, that touch on controversial legal theories, religious freedom, or other significant matters in which the current administration might differ from positions the DOL took during the Obama administration.

The ...