The Philadelphia Department of Labor was officially established in 2020 following a voter referendum to consolidate the City’s labor-related functions. This move created a unified body to better protect and educate workers, enforce labor laws, and modernize Citywide labor relations.
Who makes up the Department of Labor?
- Office of Worker Protections (OWP): Enforces City ordinances like the Fair Workweek Law (2018), Paid Sick Leave, and Wage Theft Prevention.
- Office of Labor Standards (OLS): Traces its roots to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (1951), itself a successor to the 1948 Fair Employment Practices Commission.
- Office of Labor Relations: Oversees collective bargaining and union contracts Citywide.
- Office of Employee Relations: Focuses on internal workforce relations, training, and grievance management. It likely emerged alongside the Office of Human Resources in the 1951 Home Rule Charter.
- Living Wage Working Group: Supports the City’s 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard, affecting City contracts and subsidies.
- Board of Labor Standards: Provides oversight on City labor policies and wage enforcement strategies.
Learn more about what each part of our department does on our About page.
Historical foundations
Prior to the 2020 consolidation:
- The Mayor’s Office of Labor served as the City’s central labor entity.
- The creation of the OWP coincided with enforcement responsibilities tied to progressive worker laws passed in the late 2010s.
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