Punching In: Why the Top Labor Adviser Will Stay at White House

Monday morning musings for workplace watchers

Seth, Please Stay | Labor Department’s ‘New Branding’

Ian Kullgren: President Joe Biden’s top labor adviser, Seth Harris, is staying put after attempting to jump to another job in the administration.

For the past few months, Harris, deputy assistant to the president for labor and the economy, had been gunning to run the Social Security Administration, a position that’s remained vacant since Biden fired the Trump-appointed commissioner in July.

Harris pushed hard, soliciting letters of recommendation and actively building support from key administration players, two people familiar with the situation said. ...