USA: Department of Labor Launches Compliance Assistance

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a new Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI) designed to help companies comply with federal labor laws and prevent violations.

The role of the OCI will be to promote a greater understanding of federal labor laws and regulations – allowing businesses to prevent violations and protect workers’ wages, safety and health, retirement security, and other rights and benefits.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta said the OCI would strengthen the enforcement efforts on repeat and wilful violators of federal labor laws, ultimately leveling the playing field for businesses that do the right thing.

“Vigorous enforcement and compliance assistance go hand in hand. The Office of Compliance Initiatives expands our efforts to promote full compliance with federal labor law.”

The OCI’s work will include:

• Facilitating and encouraging a culture that promotes compliance assistance within the Department
• Providing employers and workers with access to high-quality, up-to-date information about their obligations and rights under federal labor laws and regulations
• Assisting enforcement agencies in developing new strategies to use data for more impactful compliance and enforcement strategies
• Enhancing outreach to stakeholders for the Department’s enforcement agencies

Part of this initiative includes the launch of two websites that will assist both workers and businesses who have questions on compliance.

Worker.gov provides a centralized base of information focused on federal worker protections, and Employer.gov provides job creators easy-to-understand information about their responsibilities under federal laws and regulations.