Alaska Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development
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Contents |
Current officeholder
The current acting commissioner of labor is David G. Stone. He succeeded Clark "Click" Bishop, who was appointed in January 2007 by Governor Sarah Palin. As the labor commissioner serves at the pleasure of the governor, Stone does not serve a fixed term.[1] Before becoming commissioner, Bishop worked as an administrator for the Alaska Operating Engineers and Employers Training Trust.
Authority
The authority of the commissioner of labor derives from statute, which states that he or she is the principal executive office of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.[2]
Alaska Statutes, Title 44, Chapter 31, Section 10
| The principal executive officer of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development is the commissioner of labor and workforce development. |
Qualifications
Like all principal executive officers in the Alaska government, the labor commissioner must "furnish corporate surety bonds in the instance and amount required by law," the cost of which is paid by the state. Otherwise, there are no special qualifications for the office of labor commissioner.[3]
Alaska Statutes, Title 44, Chapter 23, Section 50
| The principal executive officer of each department and subordinate officials shall furnish corporate surety bonds in the instance and amount required by law or determined by the governor upon recommendation of the commissioner of administration. The state shall pay the cost of the bond. The attorney general shall approve the form of the bond. |
Appointments
The labor commissioner, like all Alaska executive department heads, is appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by a majority of the members of the legislature.[4]
Alaska Statutes, Title 39, Chapter 5, Section 20
| The governor shall appoint the head of each principal executive department in the state government. Each appointment is subject to confirmation by a majority of the members of the legislature in joint session. |
Term limits
There are no term limits for the office of labor commissioner. The officeholder serves at the pleasure of the governor.
Vacancies
Alaska law does not fix any particular procedure for dealing with vacancies. It is the governor's responsibility to appoint a new labor commissioner, subject to approval from the legislature.
Duties
The commissioner is "responsible for the overall management of the department's programs and resources; serves as liaison with other state, federal, and local government agencies, and the legislature; and acts on unemployment insurance appeals."[5] The commissioner's office also provides admin support to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Board, which decides appeals of penalties issued by the Labor Department to employers that violate health and safety regulations.
The Department of Labor as a whole has the following duties:[6]
- Enforce the laws and adopt regulations under them concerning employer-employee relationships
- Accumulate, analyze, and report labor statistics
- Operate systems of workers' compensation and unemployment insurance
- Gather data reflecting the cost of living in the various election districts of the state
- Operate the federally funded employment and training programs under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (adult basic education)
Divisions
The Department of Labor & Workforce Development contains several divisions:[7]
- Office of the Commissioner
- Administrative Services
- Workers' Compensation
- Labor Standards and Safety
- Employment Security
- Business Partnerships
- Vocational Rehabilitation
- Alaska Vocational Technical Center
Compensation
In 2010, the commissioner of labor and workforce development received compensation in the amount of $135,000.[8] The commissioner's salary is bound to a range determined by statute; it must be no less than Range 28 of the Alaska executive branch employee salary schedule nor more than Range 30.[9]
Contact info
Mailing address:
PO Box 111149
Juneau, AK 99811
Phone: (907) 465-2700
Fax: (907) 465-2784
See also
External links
References
- ↑ Alaska Legal Resource Center, "Alaska Statutes 39.05.030," accessed June 5, 2011.
- ↑ Alaska Legal Resource Center, "Alaska Statutes 44.31.010," accessed June 6, 2010.
- ↑ Alaska Legal Resource Center, "Alaska Statutes 39.05.050," accessed June 1, 2011.
- ↑ Alaska Legal Resource Center, "Alaska Statutes 39.05.020," accessed June 1, 2011.
- ↑ Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development, "Office of the Commissioner," accessed June 6, 2011.
- ↑ Alaska Legal Resource Center, "Alaska Statutes 44.31.020," accessed June 6, 2011.
- ↑ Alaska Office of Management and Budget, "Department of Labor -- FY 2012 Proposed Budget," accessed June 6, 2011.
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010, Table 4.11," accessed May 20, 2011.
- ↑ Alaska Legal Resource Center, "Alaska Statutes 39.20.080, accessed June 1, 2011.
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