Labor Secretary nominee admits he employed a housekeeper who was in the U.S. without legal permission.
WASHINGTON — Labor Secretary nominee Andrew Puzder acknowledged Tuesday that he had employed a housekeeper who was in the U.S. without legal permission, putting him again at odds with President Donald Trump’s push to keep jobs in American hands.
Puzder said in a statement that he and his wife were unaware the housekeeper was not legally permitted to work in the U.S. during the years they employed her.
“When I learned of her status, we immediately ended her employment and offered her assistance in getting legal status,” Puzder said. “We have fully paid back taxes to the IRS and the State of California.”
Puzder spokesman George Thompson said Tuesday that the fast-food CEO remains committed to becoming secretary of labor and is working on divesting from his financial holdings.
The revelation about the housekeeper has the potential of complicating a confirmation that has not gone smoothly. Puzder has acknowledged outsourcing CKE Restaurants Inc.’s technology help desk, the type of practice Trump also derides as anti-American-worker. His confirmation hearing has been delayed at least three times and has not been rescheduled.
But the chairman of the panel holding that hearing says the housekeeper matter is not a hurdle in itself.
“Since Mr. Puzder reported his mistake and voluntarily corrected it, I do not believe that this should disqualify him from being a Cabinet secretary,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who leads the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Democrats and their allies have piled on with unflattering stories from workers at Puzder’s restaurants, and they question how well he can advocate for American workers given that he opposes a big hike in the minimum wage and other labor priorities.
Puzder is the second Trump pick whose nomination has faced questions over their hiring of household workers.
Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s pick to run the Cabinetlevel White House budget office, had acknowledged that he failed to pay more than $15,000 in payroll taxes for a household worker more than a decade ago. He has repaid the government.