United States Secretary of Labor
Overview
The United States Secretary of Labor is a member of the Cabinet and the head of the Department of Labor, who exercises control over the department and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all other issues involving any form of business-person controversies.
History
The Department of Labor was created by an act of Congress on March 4, 1913, with its secretary being a member of the President's cabinet. The first Secretary of Labor was William Bauchop Wilson, a former coal miner and union official, who served in the administration of President Woodrow Wilson.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Secretary of Labor leads the Department of Labor, which oversees various federal labor laws in the United States, including those that regulate safe working conditions, minimum hourly wage, overtime pay, re-employment rights, and unemployment insurance. The Secretary is responsible for enforcing a comprehensive federal labor law covering major aspects of employer and employee relations.
Appointment and Succession
The Secretary of Labor is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. If confirmed, the secretary is sworn in by the Vice President or another senior official and then begins his or her duties.
List of Secretaries of Labor
Since the office's inception in 1913, there have been 27 confirmed Secretaries of Labor. The longest-serving Secretary was Frances Perkins, who held the position from 1933 to 1945 under President Franklin Roosevelt. The current Secretary of Labor is Marty Walsh, who was sworn in on March 23, 2021.