Government Offices
Linked below are Web sites of key, Federal and state government
offices in the United States that deal with employment, labor
and employee rights issues, and administer the related laws
and regulations.
About Government Offices
Government offices are also called government agencies,
departments or bureaus, among other names.
Employment-related government offices are good places for
workers to research their employee
rights under employment and
labor laws. Many have avenues for filing complaints against
employers or their representatives for violations of same.
The same government offices are also good places for employers
to conduct employment and labor law, and compliance research.
Federal and State Government Offices - Resources
Each link below opens the matching, government offices resource
page at EmployeeIssues.com.
Department of Labor
Government Offices
Links to Federal and state department of labor Web sites,
for researching employment and labor
laws and locating contact information to ask questions
or file complaints against employers.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission Government Offices
Links to the Web sites of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) and state equivalents, for researching Federal and state discrimination
laws and filing discrimination charges against employers
for violating the laws.
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration Government Offices
Links to the Web sites of the U.S. Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) and state equivalents, for researching
workplace safety and health laws and standards, and filing
complaints against employers for violations.
State Labor Law Government
Offices
Link directly to the Web sites of legislative state government
offices (or other Web sites authorized by same), that allow
you to search or browse state labor laws and related rules,
regulations, and bills.
Unemployment
Government Offices
Links to Federal and state unemployment office Web sites
for filing unemployment insurance claims and researching
unemployment compensation, benefits, appeals, and related employment
and labor laws. See also One-Stop
Career Centers.
Workers'
Compensation Board Government Offices
Links to the Web sites of Federal and state workers' compensation
boards, commissions, courts, and offices for filing workers'
compensation insurance claims and researching workers' compensation
insurance, benefits, appeals, and related employment
and labor laws.
Federal Government Offices - Direct Links
Each link below opens the matching, Federal government office
Web site. Some of the government offices linked below maintain
links to state-equivalent government offices, if they exist.
Administrative
Review Board (ARB)
Makes judgments on appeals arising from cases decided by
Department of Labor Administrative
Law Judges or the Administrator of the Department of
Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. (See Employment
Standards Administration for information about the
Wage and Hour Division. See also Office of Administrative
Law Judges.) Offers research resources for case
decisions, and employment and labor
laws. Part of the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Benefits
Review Board (BRB)
Reviews and issues decisions on appeals of workers’
compensation claims arising under the Longshore and Harbor
Workers’ Compensation Act and the Black Lung Benefits
amendments to the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act
of 1969. Offers research resources for board decisions and
the Acts.
One of several government offices under the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Bureau
of International Labor Affairs (ILAB)
Conducts research on and formulates international economic,
trade, immigration, and labor policies in collaboration with
other U.S. government offices. Also provides international
technical assistance in support of U.S. foreign labor policy
objectives. Includes these government offices: International
Child Labor Program (ICLP), National
Administrative Office (NAO), Office
of Foreign Relations (OFR), Office
of International Economic Affairs (OIEA) and Office
of International Organizations (OIO). Part of the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS)
A government office for researching labor market statistics,
such as national, state and local unemployment rates, statistics
for wages, earnings and benefits,
and occupational career information. Includes Career Information
for Kids. One of the many government offices within the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Center
for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives (CFBCI)
Issues grants to faith-based and community organizations
that help individuals enter, succeed and thrive in the workforce.
Part of the U.S. Department
of Labor.
Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Administrates immigration and naturalization adjudication functions
and establishes immigration services policies and priorities.
Among its employment-related duties, this government office
issues green cards and EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 EB-4 work visas.
Formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service, it's
now a bureau of the Department of Homeland Security.
Department
of Education (ED)
Oversees the educational system. Also enforces Federal statutes prohibiting
education discrimination. Includes resources to apply for
financial aid, and research statistics, legislation and regulations.
Department
of Transportation (DOT)
Employment-related duties include regulating workplace safety
for transportation industry employees. Some government and private-sector employers
follow DOT's guidelines for drug
testing in the workplace. (See also Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for
mandatory workplace drug testing guidelines.) Key government
offices under DOT that have employment-related regulatory
duties include the Federal
Aviation Administration, Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal
Transit Administration (FTA), Maritime
Administration (MARAD), National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Pipeline
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
Department
of Veteran Affairs (VA)
Explains government-provided benefits and services for military
veterans, and how to apply. Employment-related matters include
education and disability benefits, and vocational rehabilitation
and employment services. See also Veterans' Employment
and Training Service.
Division
of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation
(EEOICP)
As part of the U.S. Department
of Labor, it delivers benefits to eligible employees
and former employees of the Department of Energy, its contractors
and subcontractors or to certain survivors of such individuals,
as provided in the Energy
Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.
Also delivers benefits to certain beneficiaries as provided
in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. A government
office under the Federal
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
Employee
Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
The name of this government office is misleading. EBSA does not regulate
all employee benefits, as its name implies. (Many benefits are
voluntarily offered by employers to attract and retain employees,
because few laws require employers to offer them.) But it
does promote voluntary compliance and facilitates self-regulation
for private retirement, health and welfare plans offered
through employers. It also enforces employee rights under
related laws, such as the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). One of
the many divisions of the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Employees'
Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB)
Under the Federal Employees'
Compensation Act, this board decides cases on appeal
from decisions of the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
(OWCP). (See Employment Standards Administration for
information about the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.)
Offers research resources for the appeals process, board
decisions, and employment and labor
laws. Just one of the many government offices under the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Employment
Standards Administration (ESA)
The ESA regulates and enforces several employee rights, such
as those under minimum wage, overtime, workers'
compensation, and family
and medical leave laws. It's the largest government office
within the U.S. Department
of Labor, likely because it's comprised of a Wage
and Hour Division (WHD) plus three component offices: Office
of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Office
of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) and Office
of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP).
Employment
& Training Administration (ETA)
Provides job training, employment, labor market information
and income maintenance services, primarily through state
and local workforce development systems. Its government offices
and programs are too numerous to list here. But, as examples,
its Office
of Job Corps administers the Job Corps, while its Bureau
of Apprenticeship and Training oversees State Apprenticeship
Councils. The ETA is a division of the U.S.
Department of Labor. Consequently, it's sometimes abbreviated
as DOLETA.
Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
The EEOC is the government office for researching employment
discrimination on the basis of age, disability, national
origin, race, religion, genetics or sex (gender), in violation
of Federal discrimination
laws. (Discrimination laws are also called equal employment
opportunity or EEO laws. Some states call them fair employment
practices or FEP laws.) The EEOC or its nearest state or
regional field office is also the place to file a discrimination
charge against an employer or its representatives. See also Office
of Disability Employment Policy.
FirstGov
Helps you to find Federal, state, local and tribal government
offices.
Mine
Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
A government office that protects the safety and health of
miners, under the Federal Mine
Safety and Health Act of 1977. Includes compliance information
and research resources for the Act.
National
Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
The NLRB protects your union rights under
the National Labor Relations
Act of 1935, and investigates unfair
labor practices of employers and unions. Its site includes
resources for researching the Act,
unfair labor practices and related matters.
Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA protects your employee rights to work in a safe and
healthy workplace. Research the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970 and related matters at
the site of OSHA, a division of the Department of Labor that
enforces the Act.
See also Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration.
Office
of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ)
Administrative
law judges preside over formal hearings concerning matters
related to more than 80 labor and employment laws and regulations.
Includes a law library for researching OALJ decisions and
those of other U.S. Department
of Labor Offices.
Office
of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
Develops and influences disability-related policies and practices
affecting the employment of people with disabilities. Includes
research resources for its programs and initiatives. (See
also Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.)
A government office within the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Office
of Inspector General (OIG)
This government office is listed here, because it conducts union racketeering
and organized crime investigations for employee benefit plans,
labor-management relations and internal union affairs. It
also conducts audits and evaluations to review the effectiveness,
efficiency, economy, and integrity of all Department
of Labor programs and operations.
Office
of Personnel Management (OPM)
The official, central, human resources department for Federal
government employers and employees. Explains Federal government
employment, such as wages, benefits and
employee rights. The OPM conducts job security clearances
for government and private-sector employers.
Office
of Small Business Programs (OSBP)
Ensures that small businesses have procurement opportunities
with the Department of Labor.
Also helps small businesses comply with employment
and labor laws. See also Small Business Administration.
Office
of the 21st Century Workforce (21CW)
The mission of this government office is to ensure that all
Americans succeed at aspiring to have fulfilling and financially
rewarding careers. The Web site consists mostly of press
releases and career resources. Among the many government
offices of the U.S. Department
of Labor.
Ombudsman
for the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation
Program
Nicknamed the Office of the Ombudsman likely to shorten its
long name, this government office addresses concerns of claimants
and potential claimants regarding their receipt of benefits
under Part E of the Energy
Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA).
Includes resources for researching Part E of the Act and
news releases. Part of the U.S.
Department of Labor.
Small
Business Administration
This government office offers a variety of free services
for starting up and running a small business. Includes help
complying with employment and labor
laws. See also Office of Small Business Programs.
Social
Security Administration (SSA)
Research your employee rights to Social Security retirement
income, supplemental security income, and disability and
health-insurance benefits.
Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
This government office is included here, because its Division
of Workplace Programs has published model, mandatory guidelines
for drug testing in the workplace that
some government and private-sector employers
follow. (See also Department of Transportation for
workplace drug testing guidelines.) The Division of Workplace
Programs is also responsible for other workplace health,
wellness and safety programs. See also Occupational
Safety and Health Administration.
Veterans'
Employment and Training Service (VETS)
A government office under the Department of Labor, it helps
veterans to succeed in the 21st century workforce, by maximizing
their employment opportunities, protecting their employment
rights and meeting labor-market demands with qualified veterans.
Includes resources for researching related laws, such as
the Uniformed
Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, Veterans'
Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 and Vietnam
Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. To
determine your eligibility for veterans' preference in government
hiring and retention, see the Veterans'
Preference Advisor. See also Department of Veteran
Affairs.
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