WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, to address business leaders at the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) Business Day. In his remarks, the Secretary attributed the nation’s strong economic performance to the President’s pro-growth policies, including deregulation, tax cuts, fair trade agreements and workforce development. Following his remarks, Secretary Scalia joined WMC President and CEO Kurt Bauer, along with business and community leaders from across the state, for a roundtable discussion.

“Business leaders in Madison echoed what I have been hearing across the United States,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “We are experiencing an economy that many of us have not seen in our lifetimes. Under President Trump’s economic leadership, businesses are expanding, millions of jobs are being created and Americans are more confident about their economic future. With pro-growth tax cuts, deregulation, USMCA and the signing of the Phase One Trade Agreement with China, communities in Wisconsin will continue to thrive during this blue collar boom.”

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to highlight workforce development and economic opportunity during a visit to Rockwell Automation. Secretary Scalia toured Rockwell Automation’s new manufacturing line that is set to open in spring 2020 and met with veteran candidates from the company’s Academy of Advanced Manufacturing workforce training program. The Secretary also participated in a roundtable discussion at Rockwell Automation with local business and community leaders, including the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.

“Employers like Rockwell Automation understand that veterans are uniquely qualified to make significant contributions to America’s workforce,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “Under President Trump’s economic leadership, businesses are expanding, millions of jobs are being created, and Americans are more confident about their economic future.”

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia announced a series of management decisions, including his first Secretary's Orders since his confirmation in September 2019.

"Two constitutional principles that have guided me since my confirmation are 'fair notice' and the duty to 'take care that the laws be faithfully executed,'" Secretary Scalia said. "Establishing policy for the Department, making sure the Department is well-run, and taking responsibility for its actions are important duties of the Secretary of Labor. Today's actions enhance the ability that I and future secretaries will have to fulfill those duties."

Secretary's Orders are the primary means for formally communicating policies, decisions regarding the distribution and performance of the department's business, as well as delegations of authority and assignment of responsibilities from the Secretary of Labor. These orders are often issued to ensure the department's orderly compliance with Executive Orders and statutory functions and responsibilities.

"Today's Orders and decisions show the respect for the crucial policy role of the Office of the Secretary and the commitment to maximize every resource that is allocated to the Department," said Deputy Secretary Patrick Pizzella. "Secretary Scalia has thoughtfully engaged with Department leaders and staff and these decisions offer a clear path forward." 

Secretary's Order and Proposed Rule for Secretarial Review of Administrative Review Board and Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals Decisions

The first Secretary's Order, 01-2020, establishes the Secretary's authority to review, at his discretion, decisions of the Administrative Review Board (ARB). 

Prior to 1996, the Secretary of Labor directly decided many cases with the assistance of an executive office. In 1996, the Secretary of Labor delegated responsibility to oversee and decide these departmental adjudications to the newly created ARB. This action provided that ARB decisions would be the final action of the department. Although ARB decisions are made on behalf of the Secretary, the 1996 delegation did not provide any way for the Secretary to review them in his discretion.

By establishing discretionary secretarial review of ARB decisions, Secretary's Order 01-2020 provides an additional mechanism by which the Secretary may fulfill his responsibility to oversee and direct the actions of the department. The order contemplates that review will be limited to cases of "exceptional importance." Similar review procedures are in place at the Departments of Justice, Education and the Interior.

At the same time he signed Secretary's Order 01-2020, Secretary Scalia also signed a direct final rule and identical notice of proposed rulemaking that amends various departmental regulations to establish a similar system of discretionary secretarial review over cases pending before, and decisions issued by, the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA). An identical direct final rule and notice of proposed rulemaking will be published shortly in the Federal Register.

The department created BALCA in 1987 by regulation to streamline and promote uniformity in Administrative Law Judge decisions pertaining to the department's foreign labor certification programs. As with the ARB, when BALCA was established, no mechanism was put in place to allow the Secretary to exercise appropriate oversight of its decisions. The changes to the department's regulations address this gap.

The Secretary's Order and rule preserve existing processes by which the ARB and BALCA consider and decide cases, while also giving the Secretary discretion to issue his or her own decision in a case where warranted. Both the Secretary's Order and the rules include new safeguards to ensure fair process for the parties in cases where discretionary review is exercised by the Secretary. 

Secretary's Order Regarding Procedures for Appointment of Individuals to Department Appellate Boards

Secretary's Order 02-2020 will rescind Secretary's Order 05-2018 to streamline the process by which members of the ARB, the Benefits Review Board (BRB) and the Employment Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB) are appointed, reverting to the longstanding process that previously existed for these appointments.  

Secretary Order for Reestablishing the Management Review Board

Secretary's Order 03-2020 will reestablish the department's Management Review Board (MRB). The MRB is an internal body of agency heads focused on improving the management and administration of the department.

The MRB was first established in 2001 as a means of communicating the department's leadership priorities; implementing administration initiatives; and ensuring that all department agency heads were working together to implement the President's Management Agenda (PMA) and the Secretary's strategic goals.

The MRB will be co-chaired by Bryan Slater, the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (ASAM), and James Williams, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The ASAM and CFO oversee the department's administrative and financial portfolio, including information technology, human resources, acquisition, and financial and risk management.

The first MRB meeting is scheduled to take place in March 2020.

Reassignment of Members and Alternate of the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board

Effective today, the Secretary authorized reassignments for the ECAB appointees, naming Alec Koromilas as Chief Judge and Chairman, Christopher Godfrey as Member and Vice Chairman, and Patricia Howard Fitzgerald as Alternate Member.

Alec Koromilas

Judge Koromilas was appointed as one of three permanent members of the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board in January 2002.

Judge Koromilas received his Juris Doctor degree from Franklin Pierce Law School and his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Boston University. He is a member of both the New Hampshire and Maine State Bars. 

Christopher Godfrey

Judge Godfrey was appointed to the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board in August 2014.

Judge Godfrey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Drake University College of Arts and Sciences and a Juris Doctor degree with Honors from Drake University School of Law. He is a member of the Iowa Bar.

Patricia Howard Fitzgerald

Judge Patricia Howard Fitzgerald was appointed as one of the three permanent members of the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board in July 2012.

Judge Fitzgerald holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor degree from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. She is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia Bars.

The ECAB was created in 1946 to hear appeals taken from determinations and awards under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act with respect to claims of federal employees injured in the performance of duty. The ECAB is comprised of a chair, two members and a variable number of alternates, all appointed by the Secretary.

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia today joined Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump at a roundtable event commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative.

Created by a February 2019 National Security Presidential Memorandum signed by President Donald J. Trump, the W-GDP marks the first whole-of-government effort to advance women’s economic development. W-GDP coordinates all women’s economic empowerment efforts across the Federal government.

“Within one year, the Trump Administration’s W-GDP initiative has reached an astounding 12 million women, making progress towards our goal of economically empowering 50 million women by 2025. W-GDP strives to remove foundational legal barriers that prevent women from fully and freely participating in their local economies. Without unleashing the potential of women, countries that receive US foreign assistance will never realize the desired goal of becoming self-sustaining trading partners. Along with our colleagues at the State Department, I look forward to continuing to spearhead these life-impacting programs to advance women’s economic empowerment for our collective economic prosperity and global stability,” Advisor Trump said.

As part of the W-GDP, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) is working to improve women’s access to quality jobs around the world. Over the past year, these efforts have included support for projects aimed at economically empowering vulnerable women and girls globally. In 2019 alone, ILAB’s W-GDP efforts have reached almost one million women.

“Even as our strong economy delivers new career opportunities for women in the United States, millions of women abroad face discrimination, violence, and limited employment opportunities. The W-GDP initiative offers opportunity to millions of women, helping to transform lives and economies across the world” said Secretary Scalia. “The U.S. Department of Labor is proud to join Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, other federal agencies, and international partners in this valuable global initiative.”

More information on the W-GDP can be found at www.wgdp.gov. For information about DOL's work on these issues, visit http://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab.

ILAB's mission is to promote a fair global playing field for workers in the United States and around the world by enforcing trade commitments, strengthening labor standards, and combating international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking.

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Orlando and Tampa, Florida. In Orlando, he participated in a roundtable discussion with government and business leaders at Enterprise Florida, Inc., and gave remarks at the International Franchise Association’s 60th Annual Convention. In Tampa, Secretary Scalia held a second roundtable discussion with business leaders and educators and spoke with employers and workers at Port Tampa Bay before taking a tour of the port. Throughout his visits, Secretary Scalia highlighted the Administration’s efforts to provide the nation’s workers with the skills needed to succeed in today’s advanced economy. He also emphasized the President’s efforts to create more American jobs through historic trade agreements like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). 

“Business leaders in Central Florida said what I’ve been hearing across the United States,” said Secretary Scalia. “Under President Trump’s economic leadership, businesses are expanding, millions of jobs are being created, and Americans are more confident about their economic future. Through deregulatory efforts, trade agreements like USMCA, and workforce development, this Administration is creating an environment for all Americans to benefit from this booming economy.”

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor released the following statement regarding President Donald J. Trump's fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget.

"The President's Budget sets forth the Administration's plan for uplifting America's workers," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. "Whether it's expanding access to apprenticeship programs, helping our transitioning service members enter the next phase of their careers, or providing options for paid family leave, the President's Budget creates more opportunity for America's workers to thrive in today's strong economy. And it does so in a fiscally responsible manner that also furthers the Department's enforcement efforts."

The President's Budget makes targeted investments in programs by increasing resources to safeguard working conditions; protecting health benefits, retirement and wages; advancing veterans' career opportunities; and reforming or eliminating unproven, ineffective or duplicative programs.

The FY 2021 discretionary budget request for the Department of Labor is $11.1 billion. This funding, in addition to mandatory investments and reforms, supports the Department's mission to help Americans achieve careers, to protect the safety and financial security of American workers, and to ensure the American workforce can meet the needs of job-creators to sustain economic growth.

FY 2021 Department of Labor Budget Highlights:

• Continues to close the skills gap by investing $200 million in apprenticeships, a proven earn-while-you-learn strategy that prepares workers with the skills and experience needed to fill high-paying jobs in high-demand fields. The budget also proposes to double the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act fee for the H-1B program in order to support the department's grants to expand apprenticeship in high-growth sectors where apprenticeships are underutilized, such as healthcare, information technology, and advanced manufacturing.
• Invests in our Nation's veterans, transitioning service members, and their spouses by increasing funding for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service. This increase would help support wounded warriors with curriculum tailored specifically to assist service members facing medical separation in their employment situation.
• Includes a proposal to provide six weeks of paid parental leave to new parents, including adoptive parents. This proposal will allow states to establish paid parental leave programs in a way that is most appropriate for their workforce and economy and will give families time to recover from childbirth and bond with a new child.
• Ensures American workers get the fair, safe, and healthful workplace that they deserve by effectively enforcing worker protection laws. This includes:
  • $577 million for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and $382 million for the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to help prevent worker injuries,  illnesses and fatalities through enforcement, outreach and compliance assistance. OSHA's budget includes an increase for additional investigators for protecting whistleblowers' rights.
  • $244 million to the Wage and Hour Division (WHD), helping fund the department's active role in supporting implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). WHD's increased funding will enable it to write the regulations and establish an enforcement program for wage-related components of provisions in the USMCA.
  • $193 million for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), including additional resources for enforcement and administration of Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements. This increase will help EBSA investigate benefit plans and intervene when necessary before participants face unpaid claims or catastrophic losses.
  • $50 million to the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) to restore its investigative workforce and strengthen protections for union members by supporting more audits and investigations to uncover flawed officer elections, fraud and embezzlement. This increase will help OLMS fulfill its statutory responsibility spelled out in the 1959 Landrum Griffin Act.
• Improves the Department's efficiency by modernizing critical IT systems that will reduce long-run costs. Specific projects across several agencies in the Department will update and centralize IT processes to deliver on the President's Management Agenda priority of IT modernization. Establishing an IT Working Capital Fund will ensure transparency in IT spending with no impact on total Departmental spending.

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement on the January 2020 Employment Situation Report:

“January’s jobs report far surpassed expectations with a surge of 225,000 jobs created. 

“For the 23rd consecutive month, the unemployment rate was at or below 4%. At 3.6%, the unemployment rate ticked up slightly as more Americans entered the labor force. The labor force participation rate moved up to the highest point since 2013.

“Wages have increased by 3% or more for 18 consecutive months after December revisions and another strong performance in January. Production and non-supervisory wages increased even faster than managers’, continuing the blue collar boom.

“Today, BLS also released the annual benchmark revisions, and the readjusted number of jobs created since January 2017 is 6.6 million. After today’s report and revisions from November and December, the trends in the economy are clearly positive.

“The signing of USMCA and Phase I of the China agreement in January establish a strong foundation for further expansion this year.”

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement regarding President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union Address:

“Three years ago, President Trump entered the Oval Office with a promise to bring back jobs and prosperity for the American worker. Tonight, the President reminded us that he has delivered on that promise. His policies have created an economic boom that is lifting up all Americans.

“Through lower taxes, deregulation and free and fair trade deals like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the economy is surging under the leadership of President Trump.  

“The nation’s unemployment is at a 50-year low of 3.5%. For 22 consecutive months, the unemployment rate has been at or below 4 percent. Americans of all backgrounds – including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and Americans with disabilities – have experienced record low unemployment rates. Adult women saw their lowest unemployment since 1953 last year. For 17 straight months, year-over-year wages for production and non-supervisory employees have grown at or above 3 percent. Wages for workers whose income is in the bottom 10 percent have been rising faster than wages for workers in the top 10 percent, a reversal of the trend during the previous administration.

“The U.S. Department of Labor will continue to press forward under President Trump’s leadership, building on the success of the last three years. The department is focused on expanding apprenticeship programs and job training, increasing availability of healthcare, and rescinding burdensome regulations so that all Americans have an opportunity to benefit from America’s booming economy.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia, to visit a Virginia Career Works job center, to tour the STIHL Incorporated manufacturing facility, and to participate in a roundtable discussion with area business leaders. Secretary Scalia highlighted the Administration’s focus on providing young workers the necessary skills to be successful in today’s economy, America’s manufacturing gains under President Trump’s leadership, and the benefits of the recently signed United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Secretary Scalia visited the Virginia Career Works center with Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor and represents much of the Hampton Roads area.

“While visiting Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia, I was encouraged to see yet another example of the strength of America’s manufacturing industry,” said Secretary Scalia. “Through workforce development and trade deals like USMCA and the Phase I Agreement with China, this Administration will prepare even more Americans to participate in our nation’s manufacturing resurgence. I want to thank STIHL Incorporated and the Hampton Roads Chamber for their meaningful insight and leadership.”

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.

MIAMI, FL – Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia visited American workers in South Florida to discuss the recently signed United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and workforce development. Secretary Scalia toured Gaumard Scientific – a manufacturer of medical simulators – and participated in a roundtable discussion with Miami business leaders at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Secretary Scalia heard from students at the Miami Job Corps Center. The American Trucking Associations also hosted the Secretary for keynote remarks at their Executive Committee national meeting. Throughout the day, Secretary Scalia underscored the Administration’s focus on deregulatory efforts, the importance of manufacturing, skills development, and apprenticeships, as well as the positive impact USMCA will have on Florida’s economy.

“During my trip to Miami, I was able to speak with business leaders, employees, educators, and students who are expanding Florida’s workforce,” said Secretary Scalia. “Florida’s economy is growing in the record setting national economy because of pro-growth policies such as USMCA, which will increase job opportunities for all Americans.”

The mission of the Department of Labor is 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.