At a glance
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, reemployment services, and economic statistics, but the majority of the agency’s budget goes towards unemployment insurance benefits.
The DOL is made up of 28 offices and agencies with over 15,000 employees.
“The vast amount of waste and sheer stupidity in government - from the Pentagon to the Food and Drug Administration - could fill committee agendas for years.” - Tom Coburn
A Path Forward
The Department of Labor was created to improve American working conditions and expand employment opportunities. It is important the DOL focus their attention on programs that work, and eliminate wasteful and duplicative practices. For example, the department has given millions in unemployment benefits to millionaires and upper-middle class Americans, has had problems passing audits, and has made billions in improper payments to fraudsters, dead people, and incarcerated individuals. Assuring American tax dollars are spent wisely should be of the utmost importance to an agency who represents the American worker.
41.36 Billion Annual Budget
R. Alexander Acosta Secretary
Budget Growth 2012 - 2016
Annual budget for the federal government
Percentage of Federal Budget
Media Coverage
Oversight Reports
Only 15% Of Trade Job Training Program Graduates Retaining Employment
Help Wanted: How Federal Job Training Programs are Failing Workers
Job Corps Could Not Demonstrate Beneficial Job Training Outcomes
DOL OIG: ETA Should Do More To Help States Curtail Unemployment Insurance Tax Avoidance Practices
DOL OIG: DOL Could Do More to Reduce Improper Payments and Improve Reporting
GAO: Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Case Examples Illustrate Vulnerabilities That Could Result in Improper Payments or Overlapping Benefits
DOL OIG: Weaknesses Contributing to Fraud in the Unemployment Insurance Program
DOL OIG: Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program: Vets Needs to Improve Financial Monitoring
DOL OIG: Job Corps Must Strengthen Controls to Ensure Low-Income Eligibility of Applicants
DOL OIG: ETA is Missing Opportunities to Detect and Collect Billions of Dollars in Overpayments Pertaining to Federally-Funded Emergency Benefits
DOL OIG: Management of H-2B Program Needs to be Strengthened to Ensure Adequate Protections for U.S. Workers
DOL OIG: Job Corps National Contracting Needs Improvement to Ensure Best Value
DOL OIG: Job Corps Needs to Improve Controls Over Student Travel Funds
DOL OIG: Report to the Employment and Training Administration: ETA Needs Stronger Controls to Ensure Only Eligible Claimants Receive unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees
DOL OIG: Recovery Act: States Challenged in Detecting and Reducing Unemployment Insurance Improper Payments
DOL OIG: OASAM Needs to Strengthen Controls Over the Purchase Card Program
GAO: International Labor Grants: Labor Should Improve Management of Key Award Documentation
GAO: Retirement Security: Federal Action Could Help State Efforts to Expand Private Sector Coverage
Can you believe the US Government spends more money on it’s cable bill than on disaster relief?