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Labor Commissioner (state executive office)

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Thelabor commissioner is a state-level position in all 50 states. The duties of the position vary from state to state, but their general role is to oversee the administration of state laws relating to labor and the workforce. Duties can include ensuring that all workers are treated fairly under the law, overseeing investigation of non-payment of wages, the state minimum wage, overtime, and prevailing wage disputes. The vast majority of the states with labor commissioners authorize the governor to appoint an individual to the office, but there are at least four states who have opted to have voters select the officeholders.[1][2]

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Appointed by the governor in 46 states.
  • Elected in: Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Oregon
  • Texas has a three-member board that serves this function instead of a single executive position.
  • In Nevada and West Virginia, two agencies share the responsibilities of labor management.
  • Salary range in 2023: $77,000 (Oregon) to $232,858 (California)

    • Current officeholders

    List of current labor commissioners


    OfficeNamePartyDate assumed office
    Alabama Secretary of WorkforceGreg ReedNonpartisanFebruary 1, 2025
    Alaska Commissioner of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentCathy MunozNonpartisanJanuary 31, 2023
    Arkansas Director of LaborDaryl BassettNonpartisanJuly 1, 2019
    California Director of Industrial RelationsKatrina HagenNonpartisan2020
    Colorado Executive Director of Labor and EmploymentJoe BarelaNonpartisanJanuary 8, 2019
    Connecticut Commissioner of LaborDanté BartolomeoNonpartisan2022
    Delaware Secretary of LaborLaKresha MoultrieNonpartisanJanuary 30, 2025
    Director of the Industrial Commission of ArizonaGaetano TestiniNonpartisanAugust 16, 2023
    Florida Secretary of the Department of CommerceAlex KellyNonpartisanJune 1, 2023
    Georgia Commissioner of LaborBarbara Rivera HolmesRepublicanApril 4, 2024
    Hawaii Director of Labor and Industrial RelationsJade ButayNonpartisanDecember 5, 2022
    Idaho Director of LaborJani RevierNonpartisan2019
    Illinois Director of LaborJane FlanaganNonpartisanFebruary 23, 2023
    Indiana Commissioner of LaborMike SpeedyNonpartisanJanuary 13, 2025
    Iowa Commissioner of LaborRod RobertsNonpartisanMarch 1, 2019
    Kansas Secretary of LaborAmber ShultzNonpartisanMarch 31, 2021
    Kentucky Secretary of Labor CabinetJamie LinkNonpartisanJuly 1, 2021
    Louisiana Executive Director of the Workforce CommissionSusana SchowenNonpartisanJanuary 8, 2024
    Maine Commissioner of LaborLaura FortmanNonpartisan2019
    Maryland Secretary of Labor, Licensing, and RegulationPortia WuNonpartisanMarch 2, 2023
    Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentLauren JonesNonpartisanJanuary 20, 2023
    Michigan Director of Licensing and Regulatory AffairsMarlon BrownNonpartisanFebruary 23, 2024
    Minnesota Commissioner of Labor and IndustryNicole BlissenbachNonpartisanApril 5, 2023
    Mississippi Executive Director of Employment SecurityWilliam AshleyNonpartisan2024
    Missouri Director of Labor and Industrial RelationsAnna HuiNonpartisanMarch 30, 2017
    Montana Commissioner of Labor and IndustrySarah SwansonNonpartisanAugust 14, 2023
    Nebraska Commissioner of LaborKatie ThurberNonpartisanDecember 31, 2024
    Nevada Commissioner of LaborShannon ChambersNonpartisanDecember 29, 2014
    Nevada Director of Employment, Training, and RehabilitationChris SewellNonpartisanJanuary 11, 2023
    New Hampshire Commissioner of LaborKen MerrifieldNonpartisanApril 19, 2017
    New Jersey Commissioner of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentMichael B. MarichNonpartisanJanuary 20, 2026
    New York Commissioner of LaborRoberta ReardonNonpartisan2015
    North Carolina Commissioner of LaborLuke FarleyRepublicanJanuary 1, 2025
    North Dakota Commissioner of LaborZach GreenbergNonpartisanApril 1, 2025
    Ohio Superintendent of Industrial Compliance and LaborRobb CoventryNonpartisanSeptember 12, 2022
    Oklahoma Commissioner of LaborLeslie OsbornRepublicanJanuary 14, 2019
    Oregon Commissioner of Labor and IndustriesChristina StephensonNonpartisanJanuary 2, 2023
    Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor and IndustryNancy A. WalkerNonpartisanJune 21, 2023
    Rhode Island Director of LaborMatthew WeldonNonpartisanApril 27, 2021
    South Carolina Director of Labor, Licensing, and RegulationEmily FarrNonpartisanAugust 17, 2016
    South Dakota Secretary of Labor and RegulationMarcia HultmanNonpartisan2013
    Tennessee Commissioner of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentDeniece ThomasNonpartisanSeptember 30, 2022
    Texas Workforce CommissionBryan DanielNonpartisanJuly 29, 2019
    Texas Workforce CommissionJoe EsparzaNonpartisanNovember 7, 2023
    Texas Workforce CommissionAlberto TrevinoNonpartisanJanuary 9, 2023
    Utah Commissioner of LaborJaceson MaughanNonpartisan2016
    Vermont Commissioner of LaborKendal SmithNonpartisanSeptember 22, 2025
    Virginia Commissioner of Labor and IndustryJames FrederickNonpartisanJanuary 20, 2026
    Washington Director of Labor and IndustriesJoel SacksNonpartisanJanuary 16, 2013
    West Virginia Commissioner of LaborMitchell WoodrumNonpartisan2017
    West Virginia Secretary of CommerceMatt HerridgeNonpartisanJanuary 16, 2025
    Wisconsin Secretary of Workforce DevelopmentAmy PechacekNonpartisanSeptember 18, 2020
    Wyoming Director of Workforce ServicesRobin Sessions CooleyNonpartisan2019



    Comparison across states

    Method of selection
    Partisan affiliation
    Compensation
    Vacancy fill methods

    Although labor commissioners are selected by the governor in the majority of states, four (Oregon,Oklahoma,North Carolina, andGeorgia) hold elections for the office. These elections are nonpartisan inOregon. In the other 46 states, the labor commissioner is appointed by thegovernor. InNevada andWest Virginia, the responsibilities of the labor commissioner are divided between two separate appointed offices. InTexas, the governor appoints three labor commissioners to a board, which carries out the duties of the office.

    Election history

    2026

    See also:State executive official elections, 2026

    Three states are holding elections for labor commissioner in 2026:

    2025

    See also:State executive official elections, 2025

    No state held elections for labor commissioner in 2025.

    2024

    See also:State executive official elections, 2024

    One state held an election for labor commissioner in 2024:

    2023

    See also:State executive official elections, 2023

    No state held elections for labor commissioner in 2023.

    2022

    See also:State executive official elections, 2022

    Three states held elections for labor commissioner in 2022:

    Click here for a list of past elections (click to expand)


    See also

    External links

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