The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) officially rescinded the Trump-era independent contractor rule, which gave employers more leeway in classifying gig workers as independent contractors rather than employees. Announcing the decision, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh categorized the decision as helping to “preserve essential worker rights and stop the erosion of worker protections that would have occurred had the rule gone into effect.” He went on to allege that workers lose wage and related protections when employers misclassify them as independent contractors. The issue is especially significant for so-called gig workers – those who work as drivers and/or food delivery personnel, among others – as the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) do not apply to independent contractors. The independent contractor rule was finalized by the Trump administration in January to become effective in March, but was put on hold by the Biden administration until it had the chance to review it impact.