U.S. Department of Labor

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Department of Labor
US-DeptOfLabor-Seal.svg
Secretary:Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Year created:1913
Official website:DOL.gov



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Executive Departments of the United States

Executive Departments
Department of StateDepartment of the TreasuryDepartment of DefenseDepartment of JusticeDepartment of the InteriorDepartment of AgricultureDepartment of CommerceDepartment of LaborDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDepartment of Housing and Urban DevelopmentDepartment of TransportationDepartment of EnergyDepartment of EducationDepartment of Veterans AffairsDepartment of Homeland Security

Department Secretaries
Marco RubioScott BessentPete HegsethPam BondiDoug BurgumBrooke RollinsLori Chavez-DeRemerRobert F. Kennedy Jr.Scott TurnerHoward LutnickSean DuffyChris WrightLinda McMahonDoug CollinsKristi Noem

The Department of Labor (DoL) is a United States executive department formed in 1913 to help workers, job seekers, and retirees by creating standards for occupational safety, wages, hours, and benefits and by compiling economic statistics.[1]

The secretary of labor is Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Click here to learn more about her confirmation process.

History

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, originally part of the Department of the Interior, began collecting data in 1884. In 1913, President William Howard Taft created the Labor Department in 1913, which absorbed the BLS. On President Taft's last day in office, he signed the Organics Act, officially creating the U.S. Department of Labor as an executive department of the United States.[1] President Woodrow Wilson then appointed the first secretary, William B. Wilson, to head the department.

The following is a list of notable events throughout the history of the Department of Labor:[1]

  • 1915: U.S. Employment Service formed, placing immigrants into jobs
  • 1916: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs formed, providing benefits to those injured or made ill due to poor working conditions
  • 1930: Bureau of Labor statistics begins recording unemployment numbers
  • 1935: National Labor Relations Board is formed, codifying unfair labor practices and protecting collective bargaining rights
  • 1935: Social Security Board is formed, paying benefits to retirees and disabled and unemployed workers from payroll taxes
  • 1938: Fair Labor Standards Act is passed, codifying the 40-hour work week and paid overtime guidelines
  • 1959: Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act is passed to combat corruption due to the rumored presence of organized crime in unions
  • 1962: Manpower Development and Training Act is passed, forming the first federal job training program
  • 1963: Equal Pay Act of 1963 is passed, establishing equal pay for the same jobs done by men and women
  • 1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex or national orientation
  • 1970: Occupational Safety and Health Administration is formed, mandating safe and healthy working conditions
  • 1977: Mine Safety and Health Administration is formed, mandating regular mine inspections and enforcing employment standards in the mining industry
  • 1990: Americans with Disabilities Act is passed, prohibiting discrimination against those with mental, physical or emotional disabilities and creating guidelines for accessibility

Mission

The official department mission statement is as follows:

To foster, promote, and develop the welfare 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.[2]
—Department of Labor[1]

Leadership

Note: Votes marked "N/A" represent voice votes or unrecorded votes. Missing votes will be filled as they are researched.

Organization

Administrative State
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Read more about the administrative state on Ballotpedia.

Click here to view the DOL organizational chart.

Recent news

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See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 U.S. Department of Labor, "U.S. Department of Labor Historical Timeline," accessed August 29, 2013
  2. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.