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Lawmakers Say Labor Department Staff Reductions and Office Closures Threaten Enforcement Capacity; Secretary Cites Litigation Limits
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Summary
Senators pressed Labor Secretary Chavez de Reamer about workforce reductions under an agency deferred resignation program, exemptions for inspectors, and the effective closure or reduction of enforcement offices including OFCCP; the secretary said enforcement remains a priority but cited litigation limits on discussing some matters.
Senator Baldwin and others raised concerns that recent workforce-reduction initiatives are reducing the department's ability to enforce labor protections. Baldwin said the department has "pushed out approximately 20% of its staff who are now being paid not to work" and said the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) had been reduced by an estimated 25 percent, a change she said could undermine protection of benefits for tens of millions of Americans.
Secretary Chavez de Reamer said approximately 2,700 employees had opted into a deferred resignation program and that essential enforcement staff in OSHA, MSHA and the Wage and Hour Division were exempted from the program. "Approximately, 2,700 employees have opted to take that DRP," she said, and she emphasized exemptions for inspectors and investigators essential to enforcement operations.
Senator Murphy questioned the effective elimination of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), asserting on the record that staff counts had fallen from "480 to 50" and that field offices had been reduced dramatically. Murphy said the OFCCP closures had real consequences for pending investigations and alleged a connection to a closed probe at a private employer's facility. The secretary repeatedly said she could not discuss matters that are "under litigation" but insisted nondiscrimination laws remain enforced and that she would consult with her legal team and the committee on what information could be provided.
Committee members requested analyses of the impact of workforce reductions on specific enforcement programs and asked the department to provide staffing and evaluation documents for the record. The secretary agreed to provide updates and information to the committee about workforce counts and exemptions.
