United States Department of Labor

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Department of Labor
Seal of the Department of Labor
Established: March 4, 1913
Activated: March 5, 1913
Secretary: Elaine L. Chao
Deputy Secretary: Steven J. Law
Budget: $59.7 billion (2004)
Employees: 17,347 (2004)

The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The department is headed by the United States Secretary of Labor.

Contents

[edit] History

In the words of the organic act, the Department's purpose is "to foster, promote and develop the welfare of working people, to improve their working conditions, and to enhance their opportunities for profitable employment."

The U.S. Congress first established a Bureau of Labor in 1884 under the Department of the Interior. Later, the Bureau of Labor became an independent Department of Labor but lacked executive rank. It became a bureau again within the Department of Commerce and Labor, which was established February 14, 1903.

President Lyndon Johnson asked Congress to consider the idea of reuniting Commerce and Labor. 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.

[edit] Operating units

Department of Labor headquarters in Washington D.C.
Department of Labor headquarters in Washington D.C.

Other organizational units within the Department:

  • Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults With Disabilities (PTFEAD)
  • Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ)
  • Office of Congressional & Intergovernmental Affairs (OCIA)
  • Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM)
  • Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP)
  • Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
  • Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
  • Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
  • Office of Inspector General (OIG)
  • Office of Small business Programs (OSBP)
  • Office of the Solicitor (SOL)
  • Office of the Secretary (OSEC)
  • Office of the 21st Century Workforce (21CW)

[edit] Related legislation

[edit] External links

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United States Federal Executive Departments
United States Department of Agriculture Seal Agriculture • United States Department of Commerce Seal Commerce • United States Department of Defense Seal Defense • United States Department of Education Seal Education • United States Department of Energy Seal Energy • United States Department of Health and Human Services Seal Health and Human Services • United States Department of Homeland Security Seal Homeland Security • United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Seal Housing and Urban Development • United States Department of the Interior Seal Interior • United States Department of Justice Seal Justice • United States Department of Labor Seal Labor • United States Department of State Seal State • United States Department of Transportation Seal Transportation • United States Department of the Treasury Seal Treasury • United States Department of Veterans Affairs Seal Veterans Affairs

Past departments: Commerce and Labor • Health, Education, and Welfare • Navy • Post Office • War
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