The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System. The BLS collects,processes,analyzes,and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public,the U.S. Congress,other Federal agencies,State and local governments,business,and labor representatives. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the United States Department of Labor,and conducts research measuring the income levels families need to maintain a satisfactory quality of life.
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. Its mission is to provide training,employment,labor market information,and income maintenance services. ETA administers federal government job training and worker dislocation programs,federal grants to states for public employment service programs,and unemployment insurance benefits. These services are primarily provided through state and local workforce development systems.
Thomas Edward Perez is an American politician and attorney who served as the senior advisor to the president of the United States and the director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs from 2023 to 2025. Perez previously served as the United States Secretary of Labor (2013–2017),the chair of the Democratic National Committee (2017–2021),and United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights (2009–2013).
M. Patricia Smith was the Solicitor of the United States Department of Labor,the department's chief law interpreter-enforcer and third-ranking official from 2009 to 2017. She was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the Solicitor of Labor on April 20,2009. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 4,2010,assumed her duties on March 1,2010,had her swearing-in ceremony on April 23,2010,and remained in office until January 19,2017. As Solicitor of Labor,Smith oversaw over 450 attorneys across the country and more than 180 Federal labor laws and implementing regulations that cover about 125 million workers.
Julie A. Su is an American attorney and government official who served as acting United States Secretary of Labor from March 11,2023 to January 20,2025. She also served as the 37th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor from July 17,2021 to January 20,2025. Before assuming that post,Su was the California Labor Secretary,serving under Governor Gavin Newsom from 2019 to 2021,and was the California Labor Commissioner,overseeing California's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE),under Governor Jerry Brown from 2011 to 2018.
Carolyn W. Colvin is an American public administrator who is serving as Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration since being appointed on February 14,2013 to succeed Michael J. Astrue. On June 20,2014,President Barack Obama nominated her to serve as the commissioner. On September 18,2014,the United States Senate Committee on Finance approved her nomination by a 22–2 vote. However,her nomination was never brought up for a vote before the full Senate.
Polly Ellen Trottenberg is an American government official who served as Deputy Secretary of Transportation under Pete Buttigieg from 2021 to 2025. She served as the acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration from June 2023 to October 2023. She previously served as commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation from 2014 to 2020.
Terrell McSweeny is an American attorney who served as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission from 2014 until 2018.
Keith E. Sonderling is an American lawyer and government official. He is the nominee for United States Deputy Secretary of Labor in President-elect Trump's second term. From 2020 to 2024,he served as Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Prior to the EEOC,he served as the Acting and Deputy Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor. Before joining the government in 2017,he practiced Labor and Employment Law at the Florida-based Gunster Law Firm in West Palm Beach,Florida.
Meera Joshi is an American attorney and government official who has been serving as New York City deputy mayor for operations since January 2022. She previously served as the deputy and acting administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and New York City Taxi and Limousine Commissioner.
David Weil is an American academic and economist who was the nominee to serve as administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the United States Department of Labor in the Biden administration. He previously served in this role during the Obama administration from 2014 to 2017.
SeemaNanda is an American government official who served as the United States solicitor of labor in the Biden administration.
Victoria Marie Baecher Wassmer is an American government official who serves as the Chief Financial Officer and an assistant secretary of transportation for budget and programs within the Department of Transportation. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Finance and Budget within the department as well as in various roles at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor showed that more than 100 children had been working illegally for Packers Sanitation Services Inc (PSSI),a slaughterhouse cleaning firm owned by Blackstone Inc.,an American alternative investment management company,across the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Labor,a federal investigation discovered that Wisconsin-based PSSI hired at minimum 102 children aged 13 to 17 to perform nighttime shifts at 13 meat production sites in eight states. During the examination,it was found that children were using dangerous chemicals to clean meat-processing tools,including head splitters,brisket saws,and back saws. As a result,PSSI was charged $15,138 by the Department of Labor for each child,summing to a total of 1.5 million dollars.
Larry D. Turner is a retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel and American government official who served as the Inspector General of the United States Department of Labor from 2021 to 2025.
