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The U.S. Department of Labor protects the welfare of America’s workforce by administering and enforcing more than 180 federal laws covering approximately 10 million employers and 125 million workers.
Understanding which agency handles your specific issue is crucial for getting effective help. The DOL operates alongside state labor agencies in a dual system where some issues fall under federal jurisdiction while others are handled at the state level. Contacting the wrong agency leads to delays and redirection.
This guide helps you identify the correct starting point for your labor-related question or complaint, whether it involves federal or state jurisdiction.
Federal vs. State Labor Issues: Critical First Step
Before contacting any agency, determine whether your issue falls under federal or state jurisdiction. This distinction affects everything from minimum wage complaints to unemployment benefits.
Contact Federal DOL For:
Federal Minimum Wage and Overtime: Complaints about not receiving federal minimum wage or overtime pay (1.5 times regular rate for hours over 40 per week) under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Workplace Safety: Reporting imminent dangers, serious injuries, fatalities, or unsafe working conditions covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Retirement and Health Benefits: Problems with employer-sponsored retirement plans (401(k)s, pensions) or health benefit plans governed by ERISA.
Family and Medical Leave: Issues related to unpaid, job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Federal Contractor Discrimination: Complaints against companies with federal government contracts for discrimination based on protected characteristics.
Contact Your State Labor Office For:
Unemployment Insurance: Filing claims, checking status, or questions about eligibility – this is entirely state-administered.
Workers’ Compensation: Filing claims for work-related injuries – each state operates its own system.
State Minimum Wage: Issues where your state minimum wage exceeds federal minimum or has different overtime rules.
State Leave Laws: Questions about paid sick leave, paid family leave, or other state-mandated benefits.
Final Paycheck Laws: When you must receive your final paycheck after leaving a job – these “payday laws” are set by states.
Find Your State Labor Office: Use the DOL directory at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts.
General DOL Contact Information
When unsure about jurisdiction or needing general guidance:
National Contact Center: 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365)
Customer service representatives answer basic questions about DOL-enforced laws and provide referrals to the correct office.
Mailing Address:
U.S. Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20210
Website: dol.gov serves as the central portal for all DOL agencies and resources.
Contacting the Right Agency for Your Issue
The DOL comprises specialized agencies with distinct missions. Contact the agency that directly handles your problem.
Unpaid Wages, Overtime, or Family/Medical Leave
Agency: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
The WHD enforces fundamental labor laws including federal minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor standards, and Family and Medical Leave Act protections. It also investigates worker misclassification and prevailing wage violations on federal contracts.
Toll-Free Helpline: 1-866-4-USWAGE (1-866-487-9243)
Available Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM local time
TTY users can access telecommunications relay services by dialing 7-1-1
Online Contact: Submit questions through the WHD contact form
File a Complaint: Learn about the complaint process at dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints
Local Offices: Find the nearest office using the online locator. Call before visiting as some locations have limited walk-in hours.
Unsafe or Unhealthy Workplace Conditions
Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA ensures safe working conditions by setting standards, providing training, and investigating workplace incidents. It handles hazard complaints, investigates fatalities and serious injuries, and enforces whistleblower protections.
Emergency Hotline: 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742)
Available 24/7 for reporting imminent dangers, workplace fatalities, or employee hospitalizations
File Non-Emergency Complaints: Use OSHA’s online complaint form for confidential hazard reports
Local Offices: Find your regional office using the state directory
General Questions: Submit non-urgent inquiries through the online contact form
With a fiscal year 2024 budget of $664 million and approximately 1,896 employees, OSHA oversees safety in most private-sector workplaces nationwide.
Retirement or Health Benefits Plan Problems
Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
EBSA protects retirement and health benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Contact EBSA for issues with 401(k)s, pensions, employer health insurance, disability benefits, or COBRA continuation coverage.
Benefits Advisors: 1-866-444-EBSA (1-866-444-3272)
Trained advisors answer specific questions, explain ERISA rights, and help recover benefits
Online Questions: Submit detailed inquiries through the Ask EBSA portal
Regional Offices: Find the nearest office for complex investigations through the regional directory
EBSA oversees approximately 730,000 private pension plans controlling roughly $4.9 trillion in assets covering over 100 million American workers and their families.
Discrimination by Federal Contractors
Agency: Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
OFCCP ensures federal contractors comply with non-discrimination and affirmative action requirements. File complaints if a federal contractor discriminated based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Help Line: 1-800-397-6251
Available Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Two-Step Process:
Step 1 – Pre-Complaint Inquiry: Confidential first step to determine if OFCCP has jurisdiction. Your employer isn’t notified. Access the pre-complaint form.
Step 2 – Formal Complaint: Official discrimination complaint that notifies the employer. Access the complaint form.
Submission Methods: Email forms to [email protected], fax to (972) 850-2651, or mail to the Washington office.
Important Deadline: File formal complaints within 300 calendar days of the alleged discrimination. Pre-complaint inquiries don’t extend this deadline.
OFCCP’s jurisdiction covers employers representing approximately one-fifth of the U.S. labor force due to extensive federal contracting.
Unemployment Insurance Claims
Unemployment Insurance is a joint federal-state program administered by individual states. The federal DOL provides funding and guidelines, but states accept applications, determine eligibility, and distribute payments.
You Must File With Your State: Contact the unemployment agency in the state where you worked, not the federal DOL.
Federal Resources:
- CareerOneStop: Find your state UI agency at careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/UnemploymentBenefits
- National Employment Helpline: 1-877-US2-JOBS (1-877-872-5627) for general job and training resources
State Unemployment Insurance Contacts
| State | Agency | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Department of Labor | 1-866-234-5382 | labor.alabama.gov |
| Alaska | Alaska Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development | (907) 269-4700 | my.alaska.gov |
| Arizona | Arizona Department of Economic Security | 1-877-600-2722 | des.az.gov |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Department of Workforce Services | (501) 682-2121 | ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov |
| California | California Employment Development Department | 1-800-300-5616 | edd.ca.gov |
| Colorado | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment | 1-800-388-5515 | cdle.colorado.gov |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Labor | (860) 263-6000 | ctdol.state.ct.us |
| Delaware | Delaware Division of Unemployment Insurance | (302) 761-8446 | https://uics.delawareworks.com/ |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Department of Employment Services | (202) 724-7000 | does.dc.gov |
| Florida | Florida Department of Commerce | 1-833-352-7759 | floridajobs.org |
| Georgia | Georgia Department of Labor | 1-877-709-8185 | dol.georgia.gov |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations | (808) 586-8970 | labor.hawaii.gov |
| Idaho | Idaho Department of Labor | 1-800-448-2977 | labor.idaho.gov |
| Illinois | Illinois Department of Employment Security | 1-800-244-5631 | illinois.gov/ides |
| Indiana | Indiana Department of Workforce Development | 1-800-891-6499 | in.gov/dwd |
| Iowa | Iowa Workforce Development | 1-866-239-0843 | workforce.iowa.gov |
| Kansas | Kansas Department of Labor | 1-800-292-6333 | getkansasbenefits.gov |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Career Center | (502) 564-2900 | kcc.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Workforce Commission | 1-866-783-5567 | louisianaworks.net |
| Maine | Maine Department of Labor | 1-800-593-7660 | maine.gov/unemployment |
| Maryland | Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance | (667) 207-6520 | dllr.state.md.us |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Dept. of Unemployment Assistance | (877) 626-6800 | mass.gov |
| Michigan | Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency | 1-866-500-0017 | michigan.gov/leo |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Dept. of Employment and Economic Dev. | (651) 296-3644 | uimn.org |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Department of Employment Security | (866) 806-0272 | mdes.ms.gov |
| Missouri | Missouri Division of Employment Security | 1-800-320-2519 | labor.mo.gov |
| Montana | Montana Department of Labor & Industry | (406) 444-2545 | uid.dli.mt.gov |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Department of Labor | (402) 471-9000 | neworks.nebraska.gov |
| Nevada | Nevada Dept. of Employment, Training and Rehab. | (702) 486-0350 | ui.nv.gov |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Employment Security | (603) 228-4033 | nhes.nh.gov |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Dev. | (201) 601-4100 | myunemployment.nj.gov |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions | 1-877-664-6984 | jobs.state.nm.us |
| New York | New York State Department of Labor | 1-888-209-8124 | labor.ny.gov |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Department of Commerce | 1-888-737-0259 | des.nc.gov |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Job Service | (701) 328-4995 | jobsnd.com |
| Ohio | Ohio Department of Job and Family Services | 1-877-644-6562 | jfs.ohio.gov |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Employment Security Commission | (405) 525-1500 | oklahoma.gov/oesc |
| Oregon | Oregon Employment Department | 1-877-345-3484 | emp.state.or.us |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor and Industry | 1-888-313-7284 | uc.pa.gov |
| Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Dept. of Labor and Human Resources | (787) 625-7900 | trabajo.pr.gov |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Dept. of Labor and Training | (401) 243-9100 | dlt.ri.gov |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Dept. of Employment and Workforce | 1-866-831-1724 | dew.sc.gov |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Dept. of Labor and Regulation | (605) 626-3179 | dlr.sd.gov |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Dept. of Labor and Workforce Dev. | 1-877-813-0950 | tn.gov/workforce |
| Texas | Texas Workforce Commission | 1-800-939-6631 | twc.texas.gov |
| Utah | Utah Department of Workforce Services | (801) 526-9675 | jobs.utah.gov |
| Vermont | Vermont Department of Labor | (802) 828-4000 | labor.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | Virginia Employment Commission | 1-866-832-2363 | vec.virginia.gov |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Labor | (340) 773-1994 | vidol.gov |
| Washington | Washington Employment Security Department | 1-800-318-6022 | esd.wa.gov |
| West Virginia | Workforce West Virginia | 1-800-252-5627 | workforcewv.org |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Dept. of Workforce Development | (414) 435-7069 | dwd.wisconsin.gov |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Department of Workforce Services | (307) 473-3789 | dws.wyo.gov |
Common Questions About DOL Contact
Is filing a complaint free?
Yes. All DOL services, complaints, and investigations are provided free of charge to workers and employers.
Will my employer know I contacted DOL?
All complaints and discussions with DOL enforcement agencies are confidential. Your name and complaint details aren’t disclosed to employers except in rare instances when revealing your identity is necessary to pursue an allegation (only with your permission) or when compelled by court order. Federal laws include strong anti-retaliation protections.
How long do I have to file a wage complaint?
The Fair Labor Standards Act has a two-year statute of limitations for non-willful violations, extending to three years for willful violations. File complaints as soon as you believe violations occurred to ensure adequate investigation time.
How long until I receive unemployment benefits?
Expect two to six weeks after filing your initial claim for your first payment. This allows state agencies to process applications, contact former employers, and confirm eligibility. Continue weekly certifications during the waiting period or you may lose those weeks’ payments once approved.
What’s the difference between “filing a claim” and “certifying for benefits”?
Filing a claim is the one-time application establishing eligibility when you first become unemployed. Certifying for benefits is the weekly process affirming you remained unemployed, able, and available for work during each specific week. You must certify weekly to receive payment for each week.
Our articles make government information more accessible. Please consult a qualified professional for financial, legal, or health advice specific to your circumstances.