Senate HELP Committee grills Keith Sonderling on independent‑contractor rules, data access, layoffs and AI during confirmation hearing

Keith Sonderling, President Trump’s nominee to be Deputy Secretary of Labor, appeared before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for a confirmation hearing that focused on rulemaking priorities at the Department of Labor, employment discrimination enforcement, agency staffing and data access.

Sonderling told the committee he would review and seek clarity in rules affecting independent contractors and the joint‑employer standard if confirmed, and said he would rely on legal precedents and the department’s solicitors when litigation is pending. "You have my absolute commitment, not just with this rule, but every rule we do at the Department of Labor will be clear and understandable," Sonderling said during questioning about worker classification.

Senators pressed Sonderling on a range of enforcement and personnel issues. Several members asked for concrete numbers about recent layoffs at DOL; Sonderling, who identified himself as a senior adviser in the department, said he did not have the hiring‑and‑firing totals and deferred to career HR professionals. He repeatedly told senators that personnel and litigation matters tied to sensitive access requests were being handled by the Department of Justice because of ongoing litigation, and that public filings should be consulted for details. In response to repeated questions about whether outside groups had accessed DOL systems, Sonderling said, according to public information, "there has been 0 access given" while litigation proceeds.

Multiple senators raised the effect of recent personnel decisions on veterans and probationary employees. When asked whether mass firings of veterans had occurred, Sonderling said he had not performed a workforce analysis but pledged to follow applicable law if confirmed.

Other substantive exchanges included: - OFCCP and anti‑discrimination enforcement: Senators asked whether taxpayer dollars should go to companies that discriminate and whether DOL still had a role in enforcing contractor nondiscrimination obligations after the rescission of an earlier executive order. Sonderling stated the department would continue to enforce statutory civil‑rights protections and cited the EEOC’s jurisdiction over Title VII matters; he declined to characterize prospective changes as eliminating legal safeguards. - Worker safety and OSHA: Senators urged protection of enforcement resources at OSHA and asked whether Sonderling would oppose actions that reduce worker safety. He pledged to "follow all applicable law" and to review enforcement resources across the department if confirmed. - Artificial intelligence: Sonderling described AI as a tool that can be developed to reduce bias if designed transparently and in compliance with existing laws and recommended workforce retraining and apprenticeships for workers displaced or affected by automation. - Data access and DOJ litigation: When asked about recent reports that an outside group (referred to in the hearing as "Doge") had sought broad access to DOL datasets, Sonderling repeatedly deferred to the Department of Justice and public court filings, and said the litigation had frozen any access pending court resolution. - Staff directives and morale: Senators pressed Sonderling about an internal email that asked staff to submit short work summaries and about mixed supervisory guidance; Sonderling said he had not been part of decision‑making on that directive and that HR career staff were responsible for handling personnel matters; he promised HR professionals would follow laws and collective bargaining agreements.

Sonderling also committed to working with senators on workforce development priorities such as apprenticeships, the H‑2B seasonal worker program and veterans’ employment programs. He described his grandparents’ history and said it shaped his interest in protecting workers’ rights in the workplace.

No committee vote on Sonderling’s nomination occurred during the public hearing. Committee members may submit additional questions for the record.