Who We Are -- What We Do
The Labor Commission is administered by the Labor Commissioner who is appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Utah Senate. The Commissioner has general supervisory authority over all the Commission's divisions and direct authority over the Commission's Administrative Services. The Commissioner is empowered by law to enact regulations for the Commission's divisions. The Commissioner or alternatively, the Appeals Board, reviews appeals from the decisions of the Adjudication Division's administrative law judges. The divisions of the Labor Commission and their responsibilities are as follows:
Antidiscrimination and Labor Division (UALD): UALD has three distinct missions which address employment standards, fair housing and employment discrimination. (801) 530-6801 or TDD (801) 530-7685
Wage Claim Unit administers Utah laws for payment of wages, employment of minors and minimum wage.
Fair Housing investigates, mediates and resolves complaints of housing discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, national origin, familial status, disability or source of income.
Employment Discrimination investigates, mediates, and resolves complaints of employment discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy-related conditions.
Industrial Accidents Division: Sets policy for payment of workers' compensation benefits and enforces the law's requirement that all employers provide workers' compensation coverage. The division also provides mediation services to resolve disputes between injured workers, employer, medical providers and insurance companies. (801) 530-6800
Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division (UOSH): The mission of UOSH is to preserve human resources by providing safety and health assistance to workers and employers. The division accomplishes this with consultation, training, statistics and education services, and by establishing and enforcing occupational safety and health standards.
In 1973, Utah established UOSH to address issues related to occupational safety and health, thereby assuming jurisdiction over such matters from federal OSHA. Under federal law, UOSH must be "at least as effective" as OSHA in ensuring safe and healthful working conditions.
UOSH strives for a more commonsense approach to workplace safety and health by augmenting its enforcement program with a Workplace Safety and Health Consultation Service, available at no charge to any Utah employer. Under this program, UOSH consultants assess facilities for potential health and safety hazards that can then be corrected without fear of citation or penalty. (801) 530-6901
Division of Boiler and Elevator Safety: Provides boiler/pressure vessel (PV) and elevator inspection and consultation services to Utah businesses. State inspectors certify that new boiler/PV and elevator installations are in full compliance with applicable safety codes before issuing operating certificates. Existing boilers/PV and elevators are inspected on a periodic basis to assure continued compliance with safety codes. Technical consultation is also provided to solve compliance problems prior to the inspections. The division also improves coal mine safety by conducting certification examinations for operating positions as specified by federal law. Operating positions include those which handle explosives, work on electrical equipment, or operate hoists. (801) 530-6850
Adjudication Division: The division's Administrative Law Judges conduct formal evidentiary hearings and issue written decisions resolving disputes arising from the Labor Commission's workers' compensation, fair housing, antidiscrimination, or occupational safety and health activities. The Adjudication Division also approves settlement agreements. (801) 530-6800