WASHINGTON, DC – Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella today announced the designation of Jonathan Wolfson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, as the Department’s Regulatory Reform Officer. The Regulatory Reform Officer has the responsibility to oversee implementation of the Department’s regulatory reform initiatives and policies, ensuring that these are carried out effectively and consistently with applicable law. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Jonathan Berry, will continue in his role as the Regulatory Policy Officer for the Department and will continue to serve on the Department’s Regulatory Reform Task Force (RRTF). In addition to Wolfson and Berry, the Acting Secretary designated 10 other senior Department officials to serve on the RRTF. Wolfson will chair the task force. The additional officials designated are:

1. Stephanie Swirsky, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy;
2. Laura Dawkins, Director, Office of Regulatory and Programmatic Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy;
3. Nathan Mehrens, Associate Deputy Secretary;
4. Susan Boone, Deputy Administrator, Wage and Hour Division;
5. Jeanne Klinefelter Wilson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration;
6. Bill Perry, Director of Standards and Guidance, Occupational Safety and Health Administration;
7. Patricia Silvey, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations, Mine Safety and Health Administration;
8. Rachel Mondl, Deputy Solicitor;
9. Dennis Johnson, Director, Performance Management Center, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management; and
10. Fredrick Licari, Department Clearance Officer for Information Collections, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

In announcing these designations, Acting Secretary Pizzella stated, “The Department remains laser-focused on completing our regulatory reform agenda. These officials will ensure that this work is completed expeditiously and in a thorough manner, ensuring that the Department’s regulations serve the needs of today’s workforce.”

Jonathan Wolfson was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in July 2019. As Deputy Assistant Secretary, Wolfson coordinates the Department’s regulatory process to help advance the Department’s policy agenda. He regularly works with leadership and teams of economists, attorneys, and policy analysts across the Department to develop and analyze the regulations issued by the Department’s agencies. Wolfson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was an Olin Law & Economics Fellow and won the John M. Olin Prize for best original law and economics research.

The RRTF has the responsibility to evaluate existing regulations and make recommendations to the Secretary regarding their repeal, replacement, or modification, consistent with applicable law.

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 announced Scott Gibbons as Chief Data Officer to lead the Department's Data Board and Christina Yancey as Chief Evaluation Officer for the Department.

"A commitment to rigorous program evaluations and an improved digital infrastructure are two key components of the Department of Labor's future success," Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella said.

Chief Data Officer Scott Gibbons
Scott Gibbons has been designated the Department's Chief Data Officer. Gibbons recently served as the Acting Chief Data Officer and as the Program Manager for Data Analytics within the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP). Prior to his service in CEO, Gibbons worked for 20 years in various analytical and statistical capacities at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and in the Department's Employment and Training Administration. He holds a master's degree from American University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland.

In January 2019, President Trump signed into law the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, which included the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act (OPEN Government Data Act). The OPEN Government Data Act, among other things, directs the head of each agency to "designate a nonpolitical appointee employee in the agency" to serve as its Chief Data Officer.

The Chair of the Data Board, the Chief Data Officer, is a career position filled through the civil-service process.  The Chief Data Officer will be supported by additional career employees selected through the civil-service process, and will report to the Assistant Secretary for Policy.

U.S. Department of Labor Data Board
The Data Board will serve as the principal entity acting on the Secretary's behalf with respect to data governance issues. It will establish, coordinate, and manage policy, processes, and standards for the management of Department data. Comprised of the Chief Data Officer, Chief Information Officer, and designees from 20 Department agencies, the Data Board shall oversee Department-level data sharing agreements with external organizations and across Department entities. The Data Board shall raise awareness and promote data management best practices across Department entities.

Chief Evaluation Officer Christina Yancey
The CEO, located in OASP, oversees the Department's evaluation activity. The CEO is responsible for coordinating with Department's agencies and program offices that sponsor evaluations through dedicated contracts or as part of their grant-making.

Christina Yancey has been designated the Chief Evaluation Officer for the Department. Yancey recently served as the Acting Chief Evaluation Officer and as the Supervisory Program Analysis Officer of the CEO located in OASP. Prior to joining the Department in 2014, Yancey served in the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, coordinating performance management and strategic planning activities for the agency. Yancey holds a Ph.D. from the School of Public Affairs at American University and a Master of Arts in Criminology from the University of Maryland, College Park.

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 the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) will be held from November 11-17, 2019.

Established by the U.S. Department of Labor, NAW is a nationwide celebration that brings together business leaders, labor, educational institutions, and Americans interested in apprenticeships to showcase the impact apprenticeship programs have on closing the U.S. skills gap and preparing the American workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

"Apprenticeships are one of the most effective ways to develop a highly skilled workforce," Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella said. "As our economy grows, the Trump Administration continues to focus on expanding apprenticeship opportunities for America's workforce."

With 7.2 million job openings in the United States, apprenticeships are industry-driven, high-quality career pathways in which employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and transferable credentials.

NAW is responsible for more than 2,000 apprenticeship-focused events attended by more than 200,000 participants across all 50 states since its creation in 2014. NAW has also generated three Presidential proclamations and nearly 300 proclamations from governors, mayors, state senators, and numerous industry and labor unions to affirm their commitment to apprenticeship. Events and activities have included apprenticeship program open houses for career seekers, skills competitions, community forums, apprentice graduations, business open houses, high school and college career fairs, apprenticeship signing days, industry roundtable events, and more.

To learn more, visit the Department of Labor's one-stop source for all things apprenticeship, www.apprenticeship.gov. To explore NAW resources and to create and register your event for inclusion in a national listing of NAW events, visit: www.apprenticeship.gov/NAW.

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 today announced actions it is taking to assist Americans in states affected by Hurricane Dorian.

"The U.S. Department of Labor is actively engaged in Administration-wide efforts to help those impacted by Hurricane Dorian," said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella. "As Americans from across the country rally to help each other, the Department of Labor is committed to supporting recovery efforts."

U.S. Department of Labor actions taken regarding Hurricane Dorian include the following:

• The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is prepared to provide Disaster Dislocated Worker Grants to help affected states address workforce needs. The disbursement of funds will be determined as needs are assessed by state and local partners. ETA is prepared to assist in administering Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
• The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is coordinating with other federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Treasury, the IRS, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, on the release of compliance guidance for employee benefit plans, and plan participants and beneficiaries in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. General information on disaster relief under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is available on EBSA's website at Disaster Relief Information for Employers and Advisers and Disaster Relief Information for Workers and Families, or by contacting the Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration online at www.askebsa.dol.gov or by calling 1-866-444-3272.
• The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) issued a Temporary Exemption from certain federal contracting requirements. For a period of three months, from September 3, 2019, to December 3, 2019, subject to possible extension, new federal contracts to provide flooding relief efforts will be exempt from having to develop written affirmative action programs as required by Executive Order 11246.
• The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is responding to Hurricane Dorian's impact on mines, and stands ready to respond more generally with specialized equipment and personnel.
• The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) is working with its grantees to identify flexibility and additional funding needs for its programs. VETS staff is prepared to offer assistance to employers, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and members of the National Disaster Medical System and Urban Search and Rescue service who may be deployed in support of rescue and recovery operations.
• The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will be prioritizing all calls in the affected areas to continue to provide uninterrupted service to workers and employers.
• The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) issued a special enforcement advisory that would temporarily ease reporting and other regulatory burdens on labor organizations, labor relations consultants, and employers affected by Hurricane Dorian.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is actively engaged with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies and is prepared to provide assistance. North Carolina and South Carolina have OSHA-approved State Plans that cover worker safety and health in private and state and local government workplaces; OSHA stands ready to assist affected states upon request.

The Department will continue to monitor developments regarding Hurricane Dorian and take additional actions as necessary. For additional information, please visit the Department's Severe Storm and Flood Recovery Assistance webpage.

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 – Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella issued the following statement on the August 2019 Employment Situation report:

"America's economy continued to show strength in August. The 3.7% unemployment rate marks the eighteenth straight month the unemployment rate has been at or below 4%. Unemployment rates for African-Americans set a new record low at 5.5% and Hispanic-Americans matched a record low at 4.2%.

"Since January of 2017 more than 5.8 million jobs have been created including the 130,000 jobs created in August.

"America's workers are seeing the benefits of the strong job market in their paychecks. Wages year-over-year increased by 3.2%. For thirteen months, wage growth has been at or exceeded 3.0%. An important note is that average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees had the largest one month increase in the series history that dates back to 1964.

"In the coming months, the Administration's efforts to cut red tape and adopt the USMCA will ensure that America's workers receive the benefits of greater opportunity, higher wages, and an economy which keeps growing stronger." 

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor released the following update regarding Senior Policy Advisor Leif Olson of the Wage and Hour Division.

"On Friday, August 30, 2019, Senior Policy Advisor of the Wage and Hour Division, Leif Olson offered his resignation and the Department accepted. Following a thorough reexamination of the available information and upon reflection, the Department has concluded that Mr. Olson has satisfactorily explained the tone of the content of his sarcastic social media posts and will return to his position in the Wage and Hour Division."

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI) announced plans for a nationwide, multi-agency compliance assistance outreach effort focused on providing job creators and workers with access to high-quality information about their obligations and rights under the law.

Through the autumn season, Department agencies will host in-person trainings, webinars and other events to promote greater understanding of federal labor laws and regulations by workers and job creators.

"The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to providing compliance assistance that will aid employers in meeting their obligations to America's workers," said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella. "We strongly believe that education about workplace rights and responsibilities moves us toward our goal of a safe, productive, and prosperous workforce."

Organizations interested in hosting an outreach or training session can contact compliance@dol.gov or 202-693-5079 to schedule a presentation. Find events near you.

The Office of Compliance Initiatives is part of the Department's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy. It aims to foster a compliance assistance culture within the Department, complement its enforcement efforts, and improve compliance assistance outreach. Through Worker.gov and Employer.gov, OCI provides information about worker rights and employer responsibilities.

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 – Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella released the following statement regarding Labor Day:

“Today, we mark the 125th Anniversary of Labor Day, a Federal holiday that was created out of appreciation and respect for the work done by the men and women of this country.

“I am fond of President Theodore Roosevelt’s quote during a Labor Day celebration, he said, ‘Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.’

“A record 157 million Americans are working. America has the lowest unemployment rate going into a Labor Day since 1969 at 3.7%, which continues the rate at or below 4% for 17 months in a row. There are 7.3 million open jobs in the U.S. and there have been more open jobs than job seekers for 16 straight months. This is great news for Americans looking for work and those seeking to return to the labor force.

“We remember those who will be working this Labor Day to protect and care for us including police officers, firefighters, health care workers, members of the military, and many others.”

Today, the Department of Labor released a video highlighting how the Department’s mission produces positive results for the American workforce.

On Thursday August 29th, the Department celebrated the 125th Anniversary of Labor Day and the video can be seen here.

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, D.C.  – Today Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella hosted an event commemorating the 125th anniversary of Labor Day on the front steps of the Frances Perkins Building. The Acting Secretary, joined by long-serving members of the Department, unveiled a banner honoring the historic anniversary that will be prominently displayed on the Frances Perkins Building. Acting Secretary Pizzella shared the Department of Labor’s history and celebrated the Department of Labor’s service to the American workforce.

“Labor Day is a celebration of the dignity of America’s workers. Since 1894, on the first Monday in September our nation honors the hardworking Americans who take pride in an honest day’s work,” said Acting Secretary Patrick Pizzella. “We recognize the men and women who build America’s infrastructure, create American products, and develop America’s natural resources. The greatest workforce in the world — the American workforce — has a very bright future.”

On this Labor Day, more than 157 million Americans are working – the highest number of Americans working ever recorded. 5.7 million jobs have been created since January 2017. Unemployment is at 3.7%, near a 50-year low, and has been at or below 4% for 17 months in a row. This is the lowest unemployment going into a Labor Day since 1969. Year-over-year earnings growth has been at or above 3% for a year straight and is currently 3.2%. There are 7.3 million open jobs and there have been more open jobs than job seekers for 16 straight months.

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's Hall of Honor ceremony, which will include the inductions of former U.S. Senator Robert Griffin and former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Howard Jenkins, Jr. based on their work on the landmark Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA), will take place on Thursday, September 26 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, at the Department's Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C.

"The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act has brought greater transparency and openness to unions for 60 years," Acting Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella said. "I look forward to recognizing the incredible work of Senator Robert Griffin and Howard Jenkins, Jr. on this historic piece of legislation during September's event."

Robert Griffin
Robert Paul Griffin was born November 6, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan. The son of an auto factory foreman, Griffin spent his youth working on auto assembly lines. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 to 1946 before graduating from Central Michigan University in 1947. He went on to earn his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1950. Griffin practiced law in Traverse City, Michigan, until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives as the representative for Michigan's Ninth Congressional District in 1956.

During Griffin's time in the House, national concerns arose about union corruption and organized crime as the result of highly publicized hearings in the Senate's "McClellan Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management." The McClellan Committee's findings prompted a call for congressional action. Griffin worked across the aisle with a fellow member of the Education and Labor Committee, Representative Phil Landrum (GA). Legislation introduced by Griffin and Landrum gained widespread support on Capitol Hill and from the Eisenhower Administration. The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, also referred to as the Landrum-Griffin Act, was signed into law on September 14, 1959. This landmark legislation promotes democracy and combats corruption within unions through requirements such as annual public financial disclosures and periodic secret ballot elections.

Griffin served five terms in the House of Representatives prior to his appointment to a vacant U.S. Senate seat in 1966. He won reelection to the seat in 1972. From 1966 to 1968, Griffin sat on the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, the authorizing Committee of the LMRDA and the predecessor to the current Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. From 1969-1977, Griffin served as the Senate Minority Whip. Following his time in the Senate, he returned to Traverse City to practice law until his election to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1986. He served on the Court until his retirement in 1994. He died in 2015 at the age of 91.

Howard Jenkins, Jr.
Howard Jenkins, Jr. was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1915. He attended the University of Denver for both undergraduate (1936) and law school (1941).  During World War II, Jenkins worked for the Denver War Production Board before his appointment as the Regional Attorney for the National War Labor Board in 1943. In 1945, he became the Chief Regional Enforcement Officer at the National Wage Stabilization Board working under then-Chairman W. Willard Wirtz. From 1946 to 1956 Jenkins served on the faculty of Howard University's Law School, focusing on labor law and administrative law.

In 1956, Jenkins joined the Office of the Solicitor at the Department of Labor as a Special Assistant, assisting in drafting the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA). Because of his involvement in the drafting of the landmark legislation, Jenkins was chosen as the Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Regulation at the Bureau of Labor Management Reports, and in 1962 was promoted to Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Regulation at the Bureau of Labor Management Reports, which oversaw compliance of the LMRDA.

President John F. Kennedy appointed Jenkins to the National Labor Relations Board in 1963. Jenkins, the first African American to serve as Board Member at the NLRB, was sworn in on August 28, 1963, the day after the civil rights march on Washington, DC. Jenkins was later reappointed to the Board by Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, and served as a board member for 20 years.  Among his most notable contributions to the development of our nation's labor law, Jenkins helped establish the board's policy of refusing to help labor organizations that practiced racial discrimination.  He passed away in 2003 at the age of 87.

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.