History of the U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor established

Jun 27, 1884

Established by the Bureau of Labor Act to collect information about employment and labor

Bureau of Labor incorperated

Jun 13, 1888

It was incorporated as the Bureau of Labor into the Department of Commerce and Labor by the Department of Commerce Act

Department of Commerce and Labor

Feb 15, 1903

It's name changed from Bureau of Labor to Department of Commerce and Labor

Department of Labor becomes a Cabinet-Level Department

Mar 4, 1913

President William HowardTaft signed a bill to establish the Department of Labor a Cabinet-Level Department

Unemployment becomes a focus

Feb 7, 1915

In 1915 the Secretary held a national conference of public employment officials. This resulted in the establishment of a national advisory committee. Siphoning staff and resources off of the Bureau of Immigration's information division and using the 80+ immigration offices throughout the country as employment offices

Funding of the Department increases

Jan 1, 1916

In 1916 Congress began providing funding specifically for conciliation

Finding work!

Jan 1, 1917

By 1917 the Department had evolved into a a national wetwork. Finding jobs for over 283,000 people

War Srikes America

Apr 5, 1917

Due to World War I Adequate war production became a national nexessity, and labor needs weren't a questionable matter

War Labor Administration (WLA)

Apr 1, 1918

The establishment of machinery to adjust grievances, and sanctioning of the 8-hour day with overtime pay for any time worked beyond 8 hours.To implement this policy, a War Labor Administration (WLA) was set up that put the Secretary of Labor in charge of most of the government's war labor programs. The principal component was the War Labor Board. Head of the board Felix Frankfurter

Importing Thousands

Apr 20, 1918

Bringing 110,000 workers into the country from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and enrolling one million workers in a reserve labor force. In early 1918 it began the enormous task of mobilizing 3 million workers for agriculture, ship building and defense plants

Good acomplishments

Nov 7, 1918

Almost 4 million men had been placed in jobs. Much had been done to raise living standards and improve working conditions. The WLA provided many ideas and models for the New Deal and for the World War II labor program

National Industrial Conference

Oct 7, 1919

labor unions and the public were equally represented. Unfortunately for labor peace, management refused to agree to a provision endorsing the right of collective bargaining

Red Scare

Feb 7, 1920

The Red Scare, struck fear into immigrants when the gov' started deporting people. The scare really hit after the "Palmer Raids" when more than 4,000 alleged communists were arrested after Palmer obtained warrants from secretary Wilson

Depression in the Department

Mar 7, 1920

While the employment service operated with greatly reduced staff in the 1920s, it performed much useful service during a time when jobs were relatively plentiful. So even while under staffed this Department was still getting the job done

James J. Davis

Jan 26, 1921

Leader of the Department from 1921-1930

James J. Davis Resigns

Jan 8, 1930

James Davis Resigns as Head of the Department to joing the Senate

The Great Depression

Feb 8, 1930

By 1930 the "Golden Decade" of the prosperous 1920s was over, the stock market had seen its "Black Tuesday", unemployment was reaching alarming proportions and the Great Depression had begun

William N. Doak

Feb 17, 1930

Leader of the Department from 1930-1933

Frances Perkins

Feb 8, 1933

She served as Secretary of Labor during the entire Roosevelt Administration, from 1933 to 1945, serving longer than any other Secretary in the Department's history.

Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933

Jun 8, 1933

established the U.S. Employment Service, building on the existing service and adding more resources and so that the USES could maintain. The USES also provided placement and recruitment for programs for the unemployed, including those on unemployment insurance under the Social Security Act.

Unemployment at an all time low for the decade

Jun 25, 1933

An estimated 13 million families were unemployed. Down 44 percent since 1929

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Feb 8, 1938

set a minimum wage of 25 cents per hour and a maximum workweek of 40 hours (to be phased in by 1940) for most workers in manufacturing. The 40-hour week has not changed in 50 years, but the wage level has risen steadily and the coverage has broadened to include most salaried workers.

Wagner Act labor union

Mar 13, 1945

membership swelled from 3.8 million in 1935 to 12.6 million by 1945

Civil Rights effects the Department

Jan 1, 1970

In the 1970s following the civil rights movement the Labor Department under secretary George P. Shultz was instrumental in promoting racial diversity in unions

Death of Roosevelt effects Perkins

Feb 8, 2013

Perkins left office shortly after Roosevelt died in May 1945. Although harassed by the Dies committee and others because of alleged communist sympathies and publicly hassled for being a woman in a "man's job," in her 12 years as Secretary of Labor her accomplishments both within and outside of the Department were enormous. She established the competence and reputation of the Department at a higher level than ever before and set a standard for it to aspire to in later years.