The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of laboreconomics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminatesessential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business,and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

The Eastern Management Development Center located in Shepherdstown, WV, helps Federal managers and executives to achieve critical program outcomes by providing training and development in essential executive leadership skills.

ETA's mission is to contribute to the more efficient and effective functioning of the U.S. labor market by providing high quality job training, employment, labor market information, and income maintenance services primarily through State and local workforce development systems.

The Employment Standards Administration (ESA) is the largestagency within the U. S. Department of Labor, with more than3,400employees nationwide. Its components enforce and administer lawsgoverning legally mandated wages and workingconditions, including child labor, minimum wages and overtime; equal employment opportunityin companies with Federal contractsand subcontracts; workers' compensation for certain employees injured on their jobs;and other laws and regulations governingemployment standards andpractices.

The Federal Executive Institute (FEI) is the federal government's training and development center for senior executives. FEI brings executives who are GS-15's and SES members together for residential programs that help participants develop broad corporate viewpoints, understand their Constitutional roles, and enhance essential skills.

The Federal Executive Institute's Center for Executive Leadership (CEL) offers senior executives opportunities to develop skills throughout their careers and provides resources for agencies seeking to enhance organizational effectiveness. CEL offers Open Enrollment, Custom Designed, and Consulting programs and activities.

Independent Sector conducted an extensive survey that addresses several of the questions asked regarding today's practices and views on giving and volunteerism.

he mission of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is to administer the provisions of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act) and to enforce compliance with mandatory safety and health standards as a means to eliminate fatal accidents; to reduce the frequency and severity of nonfatal accidents; to minimize health hazards; and to promote improved safety and health conditions in the Nation's mines. MSHA carries out the mandates of the Mine Act at all mining and mineral processing operations in the United States, regardless of size, number of employees, commodity mined, or method of extraction.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and its state partners have approximately 2100 inspectors, plus complaint discrimination investigators, engineers, physicians, educators, standards writers, and other technical and support personnel spread over more than 200 offices throughout the country. This staff establishes protective standards, enforces those standards, and reaches out to employers and employees through technical assistance and consultation programs.

Administrative law judges from the United States Department of Labor's Office of Administrative Law Judges preside over formalhearings concerning many labor-related matters. The office's mission is to render fair and equitable decisions under the governinglaw and the facts of each case.

Information on Federal Pay and Leave

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) history dates back to the September 14, 1959 passage of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959,as amended (LMRDA), which was enacted by Congress to ensure certain basic standards of democracy and fiscal responsibilityin labor organizations representing employees in private industry. The organization's original name was the Bureau ofLabor-Management Reports (BLMR). It was re-named the Labor-Management Services Administration (LMSA) in 1963.

The Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) administers the Department of Labor's responsibilities to ensure procurementopportunities for small, small disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses, serves as the Department's central referral point forsmall business regulatory compliance information and questions, manages the Department's minority colleges and universitiesprogram, and provides management oversight and guidance for the Department's advisory committees and other similar committeesand agreements to assure compliance with applicable statutes and related requirements.

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM) serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Labor in the administration and management programs of the Department ofLabor by exercising leadership and directing the development, implementation, review, and evaluation of Department-wideadministrative and management policies and programs.

We lead the Government in improving operations by helping agencies work effectively with Federal labor organizations which represent 1.1 million Federal employees. We regularly consult at the national level with labor organizations, agency managers and labor relations officials in the development of human resource policy and on Government rules, regulations, and binding directives affecting conditions of employment.

The Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA) of the Department of Labor is responsible for administering andenforcing the fiduciary, reporting and disclosure provisions of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974(ERISA). Prior to January 1986, PWBA was known as the Pension and Welfare Benefits Program. At the time of its name change,PWBA was upgraded to a sub-cabinet position with the establishment of Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretarypositions.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training (OASVET) was established by Secretary's Order No.5-81 in December 1981. The Assistant Secretary position was created by P.L. 96-466 in October 1980, to replace the DeputyAssistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment position created by P.L. 94-502 in October 1976. The bipartisan Congressional intentwas to establish leadership of the Department's programs for services to veterans at the policy-making level,and thereby help toensure that Congressional mandates for "an effective (1) job and job training counseling service program, (2) employment placementservice program, and (3) job training placement service program for eligible veterans" are carried out by the Department of Labor.

he Wage and Hour Division was created with the enactmment of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. The Division isresponsible for the administration and enforcement of a wide range of laws which collectively cover virtually all private and Stateand local government employment. The Division is comprised of a nationwide staff of investigators, supervisors, and technical andclerical employees responsible for enforcing FLSA, Government Contracts labor standards statutes, the Migrant and SeasonalAgricultural Worker Protection Act, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. TheImmigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 also provided certain additional enforcement responsibilities to be undertaken by theWage and Hour Division staff.