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One year of delivering for the American worker Today marks one year since I was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Labor. When I took my oath of office, I committed not only to upholding my Constitutional duties but to delivering for the American worker. That mission has guided my work every day […]

Building career pathways and economic opportunities for veterans As a retired Staff Sergeant of the United States Marine Corps, combat veteran, Navy Cross recipient, and a committed advocate for America’s veterans, I am honored to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Labor Department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). VETS’s mission is to prepare America’s veterans, […]

6 employer best practices for FMLA compliance This February marks the 33rd anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a law that protects Americans from losing their jobs when they take leave from work to welcome a new child, for their own or a family member’s health reasons, or related to a family […]

Help for employers on pay and leave laws Late this July, the Department of Labor relaunched the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. In a recent blog, Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling explained how self-audits, “enable you to identify and fix potential violations, reduce the likelihood of litigation, and demonstrate a good-faith commitment to following the […]

Unleashing the value and talent of all Americans Julie Hocker With deep gratitude and great anticipation, I am embarking on my new role as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy. I am honored to lead the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and a team that has already earned a reputation for […]

Faith organizations now have an explicit welcome in every discretionary Department of Labor grant opportunity announcement, making clear they are not only eligible, but encouraged, to apply for funding.  In February, President Trump issued an executive order that established a White House Faith Office to “coordinate with agencies on identifying and promoting grant opportunities for […]

Pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order to lower the cost of living for American families, the Department of Labor has issued guidance to help small employers join high-quality, low-cost retirement plans called “pooled employer plans” or PEPs. PEPs allow participating employers a way of banding together to offer their employees a workplace retirement savings option. […]

At the U.S. Department of Labor, we are committed to helping employers, unions, and plan administrators follow the law. That’s why I’m proud to announce the launch of our expanded self-audit compliance assistance initiative. Many of our agencies offer self-audit programs, which are voluntary tools to help the regulated community proactively assess and improve compliance […]

July 25 holds deep meaning for me for two reasons. Not only is it my birthday, but it’s also recognized as National Hire a Veteran Day. This is a chance to inspire employers to use the dynamic skillsets of our nation’s veterans by recruiting them for civilian jobs. As a proud military spouse, this initiative is […]

Brian Walsh When I first joined the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) during President Trump’s first term, I was proud to advance ODEP’s mission—one that holds personal significance—to develop and influence policies and practices that help more people with disabilities connect with high-quality employment opportunities. Six years later, I’m grateful to […]