Department of Labor

Department of Labor, executive department of the United States government, created by an act of Congress in 1913 “to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners of the United States, to improve their working conditions and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment.” The department is administered by a secretary, who is appointed by the president with the approval of the Senate. Predecessor agencies were the Bureau of Labor in the Department of the Interior (1884) and the Department of Commerce and Labor (1903).

The secretary of labor is a member of the president's cabinet and is the chief adviser on labor matters. The secretary is assisted by a deputy secretary, various assistant secretaries, the commissioner of labor statistics, and the solicitor of labor, who is responsible for legal activities.

The Department of Labor is made up of offices, bureaus, and administrations. The following are among the major operating units.

Under the office of the deputy secretary are included the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board, Office of Small Business and Minority Affairs, Office of Administrative Law Judges, and Wage Appeals Board.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) oversees programs to furnish job training and placement services; supervises payment of unemployment compensation under federal and state laws; and conducts national employment and training programs for Native Americans, migrant workers, and other disadvantaged citizens. The ETA includes the U.S. Employment Service, Unemployment Insurance Service, Office of Job Training Programs, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, and Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Development.

The Employment Standards Administration enforces laws regulating wages and hours and prohibiting sex and age discrimination in employment; administers workers' compensation for work-connected disabilities among federal and certain private employees; and supervises equal opportunity requirements for federal contractors. It includes the Wage and Hour Division, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, and Office of Labor-Management Standards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. It issues regulations, conducts inspections, and issues citations for noncompliance with safety and health standards established by the act. The Mine Safety and Health Administration develops mandatory standards of health and safety, issues penalties for violations, investigates accidents, and provides training programs in cooperation with the mining industry. It works with the states to reduce mine accidents and occupational diseases.

The Office of Labor-Management Standards protects the rights of union members and regulates union handling of funds and election of officers. The Bureau of Labor-Management Relations and Cooperative Programs administers federal labor-management relations and strengthens free collective bargaining procedures. The Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration regulates private pension and health and welfare plans, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the government's main fact-gathering agency in the field of economics. It publishes statistics on employment, wages, hours of work, work stoppages, prices, and occupational health and safety.

The Veteran's Employment and Training Service protects reemployment rights of veterans and provides them with maximum employment opportunities. The Women's Bureau formulates policies to promote the welfare of wage-earning women by improving their working conditions and their opportunities for professional employment. The Bureau of International Labor Affairs helps to formulate international economic policies that affect American workers, represents the U.S. in international trade negotiations, and carries out technical assistance projects abroad.