What the Secretary of Labor does
Protects American workers' wages, safety, and rights on the job.
Common misconceptions(3)
- Sets the minimum wageActually: Congress sets the federal minimum wage by law. Labor enforces it — but only Congress can raise it.
- Represents labor unionsActually: Unions are private organizations. Labor enforces fair-labor laws for all workers, union or not. The NLRB handles union elections.
- Finds people jobsActually: Job searching is done through state agencies and private sites. Labor funds training programs but doesn't place workers.