U.S. Department of Labor

Mission Statement: "The Department of Labor fosters and promotes the welfare of the job seekers, wage earners, and retirees of the United States by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements."

"As an organization with diverse functions, we carry out our mission through a number of offices and agencies." Some of these agencies and their purpose include the following:

• Employment Standards Administration- to enhance the welfare and protect the rights of American workers
• 21st Century Workforce Office- to ensure that all American workers have as fulfilling and financially rewarding a career as they aspire to have and to make sure that no worker gets left behind in the limitless potential of the dynamic, global economy of this new millennium.
• Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives- to empower faith-based and community organizations (FBCO) as these organizations help their neighbors enter, succeed and thrive in the workforce.
• Administrative Review Board- issues final agency decisions for the Secretary of Labor in cases arising under a wide range of labor laws, primarily involving environmental, transportation and securities whistleblower protection; immigration; child labor; employment discrimination; job training; seasonal and migrant workers and federal construction and service contracts
• Occupation Safety and Health Administration- to promote the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health

-Rachel