what is dol

The Department of Labor (DOL) is a cabinet-level agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for enforcing federal labor standards and promoting workers well-being. The DOL works to improve working conditions, create employment opportunities, protect retirement and healthcare benefits, help employers find workers, encourage collective bargaining, and track changes in a range of relevant economic metrics. The DOL is responsible for the administration of federal laws governing occupational safety and health, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance, pay, protection against employment discrimination, and other related areas. The DOL was created in 1913 by President William Howard Taft, shortly before President Woodrow Wilson took office, with the purpose of fostering, promoting, and developing the welfare of working people, improving their working conditions, and enhancing their overall well-being.