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Julie Su. Credit: U.S. Department of Labor

Regulation and Compliance > Federal Regulation > DOL

Fiduciary Rule Lawsuit? Bring It, DOL Chief Says

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Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told House lawmakers Wednesday that Labor’s new fiduciary rule can withstand legal challenges.

During a question and answer exchange with Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., during a hearing held by the House Education and the Workforce Committee, Walberg reminded Su that Labor’s 2016 rule was struck down in 2018 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, finding that the rule “exceeded DOL’s authority.”

Labor released on April 23 the final fiduciary rule as well as a new rule broadening worker eligibility for overtime pay. The Obama administration’s overtime rule was struck down in 2017.

The recently finalized new fiduciary rule “would cover the same sales practices of the 2016 rule,” Walberg continued. “So, I have the same question for [Labor's] overtime rule and the fiduciary rule: Why do you expect that the courts will view the 2024 rules — on these two rules — differently than what they ruled before when they threw it out?”

Su responded: “In the process of making the rules, we did engage in … listening sessions, we had an open comment period and took into account all the different comments —”

Walberg interrupted: “But did you check the court record on it?”

Su replied: “Yes. We are very confident that the rules not only are within our authority but that they take into account the existing case law about why the prior rules were struck down.”

Walberg then asked: “Why would these [rules] be any different? The sales rule and the fiduciary rule is in violation.”

Su said: “…They take into account what the court said about why the prior rules could not stand, and they’re different. The retirement security rule, for example, the definition of a fiduciary in the rule is different. What is covered under it is different.”

Said Walberg: “I don’t read it that way at all and I don’t know how the court will read it that way at all. I guess we wait and see … it’s concerning for the industries themselves when we’re going back and doing something … I mean, the uncertainty that goes on relative to these two rules is a slap-back, back and forth. But in these two cases, the court determined it.”

Industry officials say a lawsuit against the fiduciary rule is all but certain to happen soon.

Julie Su. Credit: U.S. Department of Labor


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