Department of Labor (DOL) Organization in the United States

U.S. Department of Labor in the International Business Landscape

Definition of U.S. Department of Labor (dol) in the context of U.S. international business and public trade policy: Federal agency whose purpose is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the workforce of the United States, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment.

Office of Inspector General

The Office of Inspector General conducts audits and investigations to review the
effectiveness, ef?ciency, economy, and integrity of all DOL programs and
operations, including those performed by its contractors and grantees. The Office
is unique among Inspectors General because it conducts labor racketeering
investigations in employee bene?t plans, labor-management relations, and internal
labor union affairs.

Employment and Training Administration

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) provides quality
job training, employment, labor market information, and income maintenance
services primarily through State and local workforce development systems. ETA
also administers programs to enhance employment opportunities and business
prosperity.

For a complete listing of Regional and State Offices of the Employment
and Training Administration, including addresses, telephone numbers, areas
served, and key of?cials, visit www.doleta.gov/Regions.

Office of Workforce Investment

The Office of Workforce Investment (OWI) provides leadership, oversight, policy
guidance, and technical assistance to the Nation’s workforce investment system
including the One-Stop Career Center systems, the youth and adult employment
and training programs, and national programs for targeted populations. OWI
oversees investments in innovative workforce solutions in high-growth
sectors of the economy, including providing training through community
colleges. OWI also oversees the development and dissemination of tools
and information related to workforce and economic data, career guidance, and
workforce skills and competencies.

Office of Unemployment Insurance

The Office of Unemployment Insurance (OUI) provides national leadership, oversight, policy guidance, and technical assistance to the Federal-State unemployment compensation system. OUI also interprets Federal legislative
requirements.

Office of National Response

The Office of National Response (ONR) is responsible for national leadership,
oversight, policy guidance, funding allocations, and technical assistance for
the National Emergency Grant programs for dislocated workers.

Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance

The Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance (OTAA) is responsible for
national leadership, oversight, policy guidance funding allocations, and
technical assistance for dislocated workers seeking to participate in
structured training programs.

Office of Apprenticeship

The Office of Apprenticeship (OA) administers the National Registered Apprenticeship
System. OA promotes the adoption by employers, labor, and other organizers of
formalized, structured training programs. OA also enhances opportunities for
women and minorities to participate in such programs.

Office of Foreign Labor Certi?cation

The Office of Foreign Labor Certi?cation (OFLC) carries out the delegated
responsibility of the Secretary of Labor under the Immigration and Nationality
Act (INA), as amended, concerning the admission of foreign workers into the
United States for employment.

In carrying out this responsibility, OFLC administers temporary nonimmigrant
labor certi?cation programs and the permanent labor certi?cation program
through ETA’s National Processing Centers located, respectively, in Chicago
and Atlanta.

OFLC also administers nationally the issuance of employer-requested
prevailing wage determinations through ETA’s National Prevailing Wage and
Helpdesk Center located in Washington, DC. Prevailing wage determinations
are issued for use in all nonagricultural temporary labor certi?cation programs
and the permanent labor certi?cation program.

For more information, the Internet page is foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov.

Office of Policy Development and Research

The Office of Policy Development and Research (OPDR)
supports ETA policies and investments to improve the public workforce
system by analyzing, formulating, and recommending legislative changes and
options for policy initiatives. OPDR coordinates ETA’s legislative and
regulatory activities, maintains the ETA portion of the Department’s regulatory
agenda, and provides ETA with relevant research, demonstrations, and program
evaluations. OPDR also coordinates interactions with international
organizations and foreign countries and disseminates advisories and publications
to the Employment and Training system.

Office of Financial and Administrative Management

The Office of Financial and Administrative Management (OFAM)
provides leadership and direction to ensure sound management of financial
resources throughout the ETA and also budget, accounting, data analysis, and
technology services for the ETA. OFAM is responsible for planning, developing,
promulgating, and executing policies, standards, and guidelines governing ETA
management of information, budget, accounting, financial and procurement
systems, personnel management, organizational analysis, technical training
and life-long learning, administrative and property management services
and technology. OFAM provides centralized services to ETA National
Office components for procurement and for job training assistance management.

The Office also plans and administers the ETA personnel and organizational
management programs, which include staf?ng, position classi?cation and
management, employee development and utilization, and labor management
and employee relations.

Secretary

The Secretary is the principal adviser to the President on the development and execution of policies and the administration and enforcement of laws relating to wage earners, their working conditions, and their employment opportunities.

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board
The Board is a three-member quasijudicial body appointed by the Secretary
which has been delegated exclusive jurisdiction by Congress to hear and
make final decisions on Federal workers’ compensation appeals arising under the
Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. The Board was created by Reorganization

Plan No. 2 of 1946 (60 Stat. 1095). The Board’s decisions are not reviewable and
are binding upon the Office.

For further information, the Internet site is http://www.dol.gov.

Administrative Review Board

The Board consists of five members appointed by the Secretary. It issues ?nal agency
decisions for appeals cases under a wide range of worker protection laws, including the McNamara O’Hara Service Contract Act and the Davis Bacon Act.

The appeals cases primarily address environmental, transportation, and
securities whistleblower protection; H–1B immigration provisions; child labor
violations; employment discrimination; job training; seasonal and migrant
workers; and Federal construction and service contracts. The Board’s
cases generally arise upon appeal from decisions of Department of Labor
Administrative Law Judges or the Administrator of the Department’s Wage
and Hour Division. Depending upon the statute at issue, the parties may appeal
the Board’s decisions to Federal district or appellate courts and, ultimately, to the
United State Supreme Court.

Benefits Review Board

The Board consists of five members appointed by the Secretary. It adjudicates appeals
cases under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and the
Black Lung Benefits Act. Board decisions may be appealed to the U.S. Courts of
Appeals and to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Office of the Ombudsman for the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act

The Office was established in October 2004 under Part E of the Energy Employees
Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act to administer a system
of Federal payments to compensate certain nuclear workers for occupational illnesses caused by exposure to toxic substances. It is a small, independent office, headed by the Ombudsman, who is appointed by the Secretary of Labor.

The Office provides information to claimants on the benefits available under
Parts E and B of the EEOICPA and issues annual reports detailing the complaints,
grievances, and requests for assistance received by the Office.

The Solicitor of Labor

The Office of the Solicitor provides necessary legal services to accomplish the Department’s mission and goals. The Solicitor directs a broad-scale litigation effort in the Federal courts pertaining to various labor statutes administered by the Department, ranging from workers’ compensation to employment discrimination.

For a complete listing of regional of?ces of the Office of the Solicitor,
including addresses, telephone numbers, and key officials, visit www.dol.gov/sol/
organizations/regions/main.htm.

For a reference to the national office divisions, visit dol.gov/sol/organizations/divisions/main.htm.

Women’s Bureau

The Women’s Bureau is responsible for promoting the status of wage-earning women, improving their working conditions, increasing their efficiency, and advancing their opportunities for profitable employment. For a complete listing of Regional Offices of the Women’s Bureau, including addresses, telephone numbers, and key officials, visit www.dol.gov/wb.

International Affairs

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs is mandated to carry out the Secretary’s international responsibilities, develop departmental policy and programs relating to international activities, and coordinate departmental international activities involving other U.S. Government agencies, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations.