Each state has a labor commissioner responsible for overseeing the administration of state labor laws. Most state labor commissioners are nonpartisan and appointed by the governor, but those in Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Oregon are voted in. The exact duties of the labor commissioner vary from state to state, but they often include enforcing the state minimum wage, overseeing wage disputes, and investigating claims of employer misconduct, particularly in relation to employee treatment.
The labor commissioner’s office is the place that employees can lodge complaints that their employers are not abiding by state or federal labor laws. Representatives of the office may also conduct on-site inspections of places of employment to investigate whether labor laws are being followed. If there is a case to be made that an employer has contravened the law (e.g. failed to pay wages) a hearing will be set where the employee and the claimant can argue their cases. The labor commissioner presides over hearings, decides the outcome, and, if appropriate, issues penalties.
The labor commissioner’s office is the best place to find details regarding state-specific labor laws. Below you can find the names and contact details for the labor commissioner of each state.
