The Impact of Government Shutdown on Federal Labor Agencies

After the Congress failed to fund the federal government in order to prevent a shutdown, most, if not all, of the government agencies simultaneously ceased operations, leaving thousands of federal government employees furloughed.

Recently, the last one that was hit by the shutdown was the agencies monitoring workplace safety and employment discrimination.

The Department of Labor (DOL)

According to a recent report, out of 16,304 employees of the labor department, only 2,954 or 18 percent of its workforce were permitted to work during the shutdown. Meanwhile, the investigation on wage theft allegations stopped, while other claims being processed are delayed.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Out of 2,164 employees, only 107 or 5 percent of its workforce were allowed to work. Unemployment insurance payments and workers compensation claim processes would keep moving amid the shutdown. However, although the agency continuously accepts workers’ employment discrimination complaints, the same would only be processed when the government funding is restored due to lack of available staffs.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

This labor department’s office that performs an important function of monitoring of workplaces, stopped its inspection in cases that don’t involve immediate dangers or death, according to a previous plan released by the labor department itself.

The agency assured that it would keep several staffs available anytime to deal with emergencies involving safety to human life. Also, it claimed that mining inspections scheduled way before the shutdown will continue even during the shutdown since there is greater hazards in that industry.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

The shutdown will likewise delay the next job report of this labor department’s office since only 3 of the 2,409 workers were allowed to remain at work.

“The Congress should have to turn around and see what it has brought to the entire workforce. If the lawmakers would continue to fail in resolving that debt ceiling issues, the shutdown would definitely take longer, eventually resulting to a disaster,” the herein Los Angeles labor lawyer said.