For more information on the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) continuity of operations programs, please contact the Emergency Management Center at 202-693-7555 or eoc@dol.gov.

Continuity of Government (COG)

The Continuity of Government (COG) program represents the President's intent that the United States have in place a comprehensive and effective program to ensure survival of our constitutional form of government and continuity of essential federal functions under all circumstances. Presidential Policy Directive 40, National Continuity Policy, dated July 15, 2016, provides policy guidance.

National Office Continuity

Continuity is a Federal initiative, required by Presidential Directive, to ensure that Executive Branch Departments and Agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), are able to continue to perform their essential functions during disasters or incidents that threaten to disrupt normal operations, including: natural, man-made, and technological emergencies.

Today's changing threat environment and recent emergencies emphasize the importance of continuity planning. A variety of emergencies could impact DOL personnel and/or facilities, thereby affecting the Department's ability to carry out its missions. The DOL Continuity Plan documents the process by which the Department will ensure the safety and security of all personnel and the performance of essential functions, regardless of circumstance.

The DOL Continuity Plan is composed of three components that take into consideration the diversity of the Department, both geographically and in the variety of missions it performs for the American workforce. The DOL Continuity Plan includes the DOL National Office/Headquarters, Agencies (or sub-organizations), and Regions. DOL Agencies and Regions maintain their individual continuity plans and control access. In accordance with Presidential Policy Directive 40, National Continuity Policy, dated July 15, 2016, the DOL Emergency Management Center (EMC) provides oversight and guidance for the DOL Continuity Program to ensure a viable continuity capability.

Through collaboration with the EMC, the National Office Agency Continuity Coordinators lead continuity planning efforts for their agency personnel. Continuity planning is a collaborative process involving valuable input and support from National Office Agencies for inclusion into the consolidated and cohesive National Office Continuity Plan that complies with federal continuity requirements and continuity planning “best practices.”

Regional Continuity

The OASAM Office of Field Operations (OFO)'s Emergency Operations Branch assists its agency customers with preparedness planning and preparation by supporting continuity of operations that incorporates mission resilience while maximizing dispersed operational strategies for essential functions and critical missions. The Emergency Operations staff standardize plans, conduct tests, provide training, and exercise activities, and maintain a corrective action program all to ensure agencies and staff are armed with the information and tools they need to continue mission-related activities and essential functions in the event of an emergency. 

The OFO Continuity Plan provides direction for continuity planning, capabilities, and operations. With the publication of the Federal Mission Resilience Strategy (FMRS), the implementation of the Enterprise-wide Shared Services operations, emerging technology tools, proven workplace flexibilities, and pandemic planning lessons learned from the coronavirus outbreak, it is vital that continuity plans include a focus on increasing resilience, capability, and capacity of essential functions and services in response to all threats that may disrupt normal operations. 

Pandemic Influenza (PI)

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has a robust Continuity Plan that encompasses pandemic influenza (PI) planning. The plan was created in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza(link is external) (National Strategy), November 2005 and the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan(link is external) (Implementation Plan), May 2006. The Implementation Plan acknowledges that an influenza pandemic requires specialized planning. Although most of the planning elements are similar, there are some differences from traditional Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning.

In the event of an influenza pandemic, DOL and its agencies are responsible for applying the strategies and actions outlined in DOL’s Pandemic Influenza Preparation and Response Plan (Appendix V of the DOL Continuity Plan) to accomplish four goals:

  • Protect DOL employees, contractors, and visitors
  • Sustain continuity of operations by maintaining essential functions and, to the extent possible, non-essential functions
  • Support the Federal response
  • Communicate information and guidance to internal and external stakeholders.

Each DOL agency and region is required to have current and operational PI plans as part of their Continuity Plan, which is reviewed annually by the EMC to ensure it is in compliance with applicable guidance.