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United States Department of Labor#Operating units

{{Short description|U.S. federal government department}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use American English|date=October 2023}}

{{Infobox government agency

| agency_name = {{wikidata|title}}

| logo = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image={{{image|{{#invoke:Wikidata|claim|P41}}}}}|size=175px|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt={{wikidata|title}} flag|suppressplaceholder=yes}}

| logo_width = 175

| logo_caption = Flag of the U.S. Department of Labor

| seal = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image={{{image|{{#invoke:Wikidata|claim|P158}}}}}|size=175px|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt={{wikidata|title}} seal|suppressplaceholder=yes}}

| seal_width = 175

| seal_caption = Seal of the U.S. Department of Labor

| picture = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image={{{image|{{#invoke:Wikidata|claim|P18}}}}}|size=|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt={{wikidata|title}} building headquarters|suppressplaceholder=yes}}

| picture_caption = The Frances Perkins Building, which serves as the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Labor

| formed = {{date|{{wikidata|property|P571}}|MDY}}{{cite web |title=Chapter 1: Start-up of the Department and World War I, 1913-1921 |url=http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/dolchp01.htm |work=History of the Department of Labor |access-date=February 4, 2013 |archive-date=April 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430224119/https://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/dolchp01.htm |url-status=live }}

| preceding1 = {{wikidata|property|linked|P1365}}

| jurisdiction = {{wikidata|property|linked|P749}}

| headquarters = {{wikidata|property|linked|edit|P159}}
{{wikidata|qualifier|P159|P670}} {{wikidata|qualifier|linked|P159|P669}} {{wikidata|qualifier|P159|P276}}
{{wikidata|qualifier|linked|P159|P131}}, U.S.

| coordinates = {{Coord|38|53|35|N|77|00|52|W|region:US-DC_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| employees = 16,922 (2023)

| budget = $14.6 billion (FY2023){{cite web |url=https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/budget/pdfs/FY2023BIB_ETA.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511112453/https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/budget/pdfs/FY2023BIB_ETA.pdf |archive-date=2023-05-11 |url-status=live |work=U.S. Department of Labor |year=2023 |publisher=U.S. federal government |title=FY 2023 Department of Labor Budget in Brief}}

| chief1_name = Lori Chavez-DeRemer

| chief1_position = Secretary

| chief2_name = Keith Sonderling

| chief2_position = Deputy Secretary

| website = {{URL|https://www.dol.gov/|dol.gov}}

}}

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is responsible for the administration of federal laws governing occupational safety and health, wage and hour standards, unemployment benefits, reemployment services, and occasionally, economic statistics. It is headed by the secretary of labor, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet.

The purpose of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the well-being of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights. In carrying out this mission, the Department of Labor administers and enforces more than 180 federal laws and thousands of federal regulations. These mandates and the regulations that implement them cover many workplace activities for about 10 million employers and 125 million workers. Vince Micone is currently serving as Acting Secretary since January 20, 2025.

The department's headquarters is housed in the Frances Perkins Building, named in honor of Frances Perkins, the Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945.

History

File:Flag of the United States Department of Labor (1915-1960).svg

In 1884, the U.S. Congress first established a Bureau of Labor Statistics with the Bureau of Labor Act,Bureau of Labor Statistics to collect information about labor and employment. This bureau was under the Department of the Interior. The Bureau started collecting economic data in 1884, and published their first report in 1886.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bls.gov/bls/history/commissioners/wright.htm |title=Bls.gov |access-date=July 25, 2014 |archive-date=July 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704052612/http://www.bls.gov/bls/history/commissioners/wright.htm |url-status=live }} Later, in 1888, the Bureau of Labor became an independent Department of Labor, but lacked executive rank.

In February 1903, it became a bureau again when the Department of Commerce and Labor was established.

United States President William Howard Taft signed the March 4, 1913, bill (the last day of his presidency), establishing the Department of Labor as its own Cabinet-level department. William B. Wilson was appointed as the first Secretary of Labor on March 5, 1913, by President Wilson.William Bauchop Wilson As part of this action, the United States Conciliation Service was created as an agency within the department; its purpose was to provide mediation for labor disputes.{{cite journal |last=Kampelman |first=Max M. |title=The United States Conciliation Service |journal=Minnesota Law Review |date=1947 |url=https://scholarship.law.umn.edu/mlr/1932 |volume=31 |pages=680ff |access-date=September 27, 2023 |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926002554/https://scholarship.law.umn.edu/mlr/1932/ |url-status=live }} In October 1919, Secretary Wilson chaired the first meeting of the International Labour Organization even though the U.S. was not yet a member.{{Cite web |url=http://www.iga.ucdavis.edu/Research/All-UC/conferences/2006-fall/Jensen.pdf |title=Iga.ucdavis.edu |access-date=2014-08-04 |archive-date=2016-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305100345/http://www.iga.ucdavis.edu/Research/All-UC/conferences/2006-fall/Jensen.pdf |url-status=dead}}

In September 1916, the Federal Employees' Compensation Act introduced benefits to workers who are injured or contract illnesses in the workplace. The act established an agency responsible for federal workers' compensation, which was transferred to the Labor Department in the 1940s and has become known as the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bls.gov/mlr/1991/09/art1full.pdf |title=Bls.gov |access-date=August 4, 2014 |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923212738/http://www.bls.gov/mlr/1991/09/art1full.pdf |url-status=live }}

Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet member, was appointed to be Secretary of Labor by President Roosevelt on March 4, 1933. Perkins served for 12 years, and became the longest-serving Secretary of Labor.

The passage of the Taft–Hartley Act in 1947 led to the end of the U.S. Conciliation Service, which was reconstituted outside the department as a new independent agency, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.{{cite news |last=Stark |first=Louis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1947/06/24/archives/analysis-of-the-labor-act-shows-changed-era-at-hand-for-industry.html |title=Analysis of the Labor Act Shows Changed Era at Hand for Industry |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 24, 1947 |pages=1, 4 |access-date=September 27, 2023 |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926002556/https://www.nytimes.com/1947/06/24/archives/analysis-of-the-labor-act-shows-changed-era-at-hand-for-industry.html |url-status=live }}

During the John F. Kennedy Administration, planning was undertaken to consolidate most of the department's offices, then scattered around more than 20 locations. In the mid‑1960s, construction on the "New Labor Building" began and construction was finished in 1975. In 1980, it was named in honor of Frances Perkins.

President Lyndon B. Johnson asked Congress to consider the idea of reuniting Commerce and Labor.{{Cite journal |last=Lowi |first=Theodore J. |date=July 1967 |title=Why Merge Commerce and Labor? |journal=Challenge |volume=15 |issue=6 |pages=12–15 |doi=10.1080/05775132.1967.11469948 |issn=0577-5132}}{{None}} He argued that the two departments had similar goals and that they would have more efficient channels of communication in a single department. However, Congress never acted on it.

In the 1970s, following the civil rights movement, the Labor Department under Secretary George P. Shultz made a concerted effort to promote racial diversity in unions.{{cite book |title=How We Got Here: The '70s |last=Frum |first=David |author-link=David Frum |year=2000 |publisher=Basic Books |location=New York, New York |isbn=0-465-04195-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/243 243] |url=https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/243 |url-access=registration}}

In 1978, the Department of Labor created the Philip Arnow Award, intended to recognize outstanding career employees such as the eponymous Philip Arnow.{{Cite web |url=https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=1495 |title=PER 00-00-001 - ADM 2.1 - Employee Recognition Program |date= October 30, 1978 |website=Occupational Safety and Health Administration |access-date=2017-03-17 |archive-date=March 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317233805/https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=1495 |url-status=dead }} In the same year, Carin Clauss became the department's first female solicitor of the department.{{Cite web |url=https://madison.com/carin-clauss--present/article_84e64f98-3843-56fc-9a0d-0a1ba21cce8c.html |title=Carin Clauss (1939-present) |website=madison.com |date=March 3, 2017 |access-date=2019-05-30 |archive-date=May 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530071138/https://madison.com/carin-clauss--present/article_84e64f98-3843-56fc-9a0d-0a1ba21cce8c.html |url-status=live }}

In 2010, a local of the American Federation of Government Employees stated their unhappiness that a longstanding flextime program reduced under the George W. Bush administration had not been restored under the Obama administration.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/22/AR2010042205756.html |title=AFGE pushes for flextime at Labor Department |author=Kamen, Al |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2010-04-23 |access-date=2010-04-26 |archive-date=October 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021072224/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/22/AR2010042205756.html |url-status=live }} Department officials said the program was modern and fair and that it was part of ongoing contract negotiations with the local.

In August 2010, the Partnership for Public Service ranked the Department of Labor 23rd out of 31 large agencies in its annual "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" list.{{cite web |url=http://www.bestplacestowork.org/BPTW/rankings/overall/large |title=Best Places to Work > Overall Index Scores |publisher=Partnership for Public Service |year=2010 |access-date=2010-09-01 |archive-date=September 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903172102/http://www.bestplacestowork.org/BPTW/rankings/overall/large |url-status=dead }}

In December 2010, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis was named the chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness,{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=http://www.usich.gov/about_us/ |title=About USICH |website=United States Interagency Council on Homelessness |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721071931/http://www.usich.gov/about_us/ |archive-date=July 21, 2011 |access-date=2013-08-12}} of which Labor has been a member since its beginnings in 1987.

In July 2011, Ray Jefferson, Assistant Secretary for VETS resigned due to his involvement in a contracting scandal.{{Cite web |url=http://www.allgov.com/Appointments_and_Resignations/ViewNews/Labor_Official_Resigns_Following_Corruption_Investigation__Who_is_Raymond_Jefferson_110730 |title=Labor Official Resigns Following Corruption Investigation: Who is Raymond Jefferson? |date=July 30, 2011 |website=AllGov |first1=Matt |last1=Bewig |first2=Noel |last2=Brinkerhoff |access-date=July 31, 2011 |archive-date=September 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921170135/http://www.allgov.com/Appointments_and_Resignations/ViewNews/Labor_Official_Resigns_Following_Corruption_Investigation__Who_is_Raymond_Jefferson_110730 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/raymond-jefferson-leaves-labor-department-after-ethics-finding/2011/07/28/gIQA3gdwfI_story.html |url-access=subscription |first1= Steve |last1=Vogel |title=Raymond Jefferson leaves Labor Department after ethics finding |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2012-07-25 |access-date=2014-02-07 |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115123346/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/raymond-jefferson-leaves-labor-department-after-ethics-finding/2011/07/28/gIQA3gdwfI_story.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/article_94746384-b932-11e0-b6a3-001a4bcf6878.html |title=McCaskill criticizes Labor Department contracting 'boondoggle' |first1=Bill |last1=Lambrecht |url-access=subscription |publisher=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=2011-07-28 |access-date=2014-02-07 |archive-date=September 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903144323/http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/article_94746384-b932-11e0-b6a3-001a4bcf6878.html |url-status=live }}

In March 2013, the department began commemorating its centennial.{{cite web |url=http://www.dol.gov/100/ |website=United States Department of Labor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228033512/http://www.dol.gov/100/ |archive-date=February 28, 2013 |access-date=2013-08-12 |title=DOL's 100th Anniversary |url-status=dead }}

In July 2013, Tom Perez was confirmed as Secretary of Labor. According to remarks by Perez at his swearing-in ceremony, "Boiled down to its essence, the Department of Labor is the department of opportunity."{{cite web |url=http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/speeches/20130904_Perez.htm |title=Remarks By Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, Swearing-In Ceremony |publisher=United States Department of Labor |year=2013 |access-date=2014-08-08 |archive-date=July 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707030002/http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/speeches/20130904_Perez.htm |url-status=live }}

In April 2017, Alexander Acosta was confirmed as the new Secretary of Labor. In July 2019, Acosta resigned due to a scandal involving his role in the plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein.{{cite news |last2=Jackson |first2=David |last1=Wu |first1=Nicholas |date=July 12, 2019 |title=Trump's Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta resigns amid Epstein plea fallout |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/12/labor-secretary-alex-acosta-resigned-amid-jeffrey-epstein-fallout/1681245001/ |work=USA Today |access-date=July 2, 2021 |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720190052/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/12/labor-secretary-alex-acosta-resigned-amid-jeffrey-epstein-fallout/1681245001/ |url-status=live }} He was succeeded on September 30, 2019, by Eugene Scalia. Scalia served until the beginning of the Biden administration on January 20, 2021. Marty Walsh was confirmed as secretary on March 22, 2021.{{Cite news |last=Puzzanghera |first=Jim |date=March 22, 2021 |title=Senate Confirms Walsh as Labor Secretary |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/22/nation/senate-confirms-walsh-labor-secretary-janey-set-become-acting-boston-mayor/ |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=March 22, 2021 |archive-date=August 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804010039/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/22/nation/senate-confirms-walsh-labor-secretary-janey-set-become-acting-boston-mayor/ |url-status=live }} Walsh resigned on March 11, 2023 and was succeeded by deputy secretary Julie Su, who served in an acting position until January 20, 2025.

Agencies, boards, bureaus, offices, programs, library and corporation of the department

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== Relevant legislation ==

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See also

{{Portal|United States}}

Notes and references

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • Goldberg, Joseph P., and William T. Moye. The first hundred years of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (US Department of Labor, 1985) [https://books.google.com/books?id=0l_7OhlmDIEC&dq=%22U.S.+Department+of+Labor%22+history&pg=PA1 online]
  • Laughlin, Kathleen A. Women's work and public policy: A history of the Women's Bureau, US Department of Labor, 1945-1970 (Northeastern UP, 2000). [https://archive.org/details/womensworkpublic0000laug online]
  • Boris, Eileen. "Women's Work and Public Policy: a History of the Women's Bureau, US Department of Labor, 1945-1970." NWSA Journal 14#1 (2002), pp. 201-207 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/4316881 online]
  • {{cite book |first=John |last=Lombardi |title=Labor's Voice in the Cabinet: A History of the Department of Labor from Its Origins to 1921 |location=New York |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=1942}}
  • {{cite book |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/historicalguidet0000unse_g5y0/page/352/mode/2up?view=theater |chapter=Labor, Department of |first=Judson |last=MacLaury |title=A Historical Guide to the U.S. Government |date=October 28, 1998 |editor-first=George Thomas |editor-last=Kurian |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |pages=353–360 |isbn=978-0-19-510230-7}} Available in slightly revised form as {{cite web |url=https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/history/dolhistoxford |title=A Brief History: The U.S. Department of Labor |first=Judson |last=MacLaury |publisher=United States Department of Labor |access-date=September 24, 2023}}
  • Ritchie, Melinda N. "Back-channel representation: a study of the strategic communication of senators with the us Department of Labor." Journal of Politics 80.1 (2018): 240-253.

External links

{{Sisterlinks|s=Author:United States Department of Labor|v=no|b=no|wikt=no}}

  • {{official website}}
  • [https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-labor Department of Labor] on USAspending.gov
  • [https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department U.S. Department of Labor] in the Federal Register
  • [https://www.gao.gov/agencies/department-labor Department of Labor] reports and recommendations from the Government Accountability Office

{{United States Department of Labor}}

{{United States federal executive departments}}

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Category:1913 establishments in Washington, D.C.

Category:Government agencies established in 1913

Labor

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