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Quan Nguyen
ECON 2301- HCCSW.W118/F11-12:30
Prof. Joe Smith
April 28, 2017
Research Paper
United Sates Department of Labor (DOL)
As we know that the key factors which contribute to the successful of a business and the
develop of economic in a nation is labor. Every day, more and more issues get involves to the DOL
such as child labor, women labor, veteran, labor unions. To understand those, we need to figure
out what is DOL, where, when and how. This paper aims to answer three questions about DOL
which are: what is the purpose of DOL, history of DOL, and its current budget & possible solutions
for reform/ restructuring.
Department of Labor (DOL) has the responsibilities for any aspect related to labors and
jobs. DOL federal law includes workers right, working conditions, working environment,
minimum wages, anti-discrimination, insurance for unemployed, and financial aids. With more
than 180 federal laws, DOL keeps a powerful importance position which is, to enforce the laws.
According to the Allgov (everything about government).Com “These mandates cover workplace
activities for about 10 million employers and 125 million workers.” Within 40 years, Department
of Labor already help to develop many different enactments for example: Occupational Safety and
Health (OSH) Act started in the 1970s, Employee Retirement Income Security Act 1974 to give
more benefits for retired workers and The Fair Labor Standards Act since 1938 the most significant
movement and memorable event in America History. This enactment was the first step from the
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legislature to set the minimum wages and to limit child labor. Even though, child labor issues have
been addressed several time in the past but it did not bring much positive solution. According to
the article Source a Case against Child Labor Prohibitions by Benjamin Powell, “in the United
States, Massachusetts passed the first restriction on child labor in 1842. However, that law and
other states’ laws affected child labor nationally very little. By one estimate, more than 25 percent
of males between the ages of 10 and 15 participated in the labor force in 1900. Another study of
both boys and girls in that age group estimated that more than 18 percent of them were employed
in 1900.” Sadly, the discrimination between male and female workforce remain. According to the
White House “Women with full-time job, only earn 78 cents for every $1 men earn, and a gap
even larger for women of color.” That is why DOL is important for us, and to understand the U.S.
Constitution about workforce is necessary.
