A journey of sustained self-reflection led Juan to become an Honors Attorney with the Solicitor’s Office at the Department of Labor.
That journey started in El Salvador, where Juan was born and lived until immigrating to the U.S. as a child. In the years that followed, the experience began to shape Juan’s sense of civil rights and economic justice, and he began to seek out ways to help others going through the immigration experience. While working at an immigration law firm, Juan came to understand that the scope of his clients’ concerns went far beyond the immigration process, extending to a need for reassurance that our social and economic protections would apply to them – most notably in the workplace.
Juan’s blossoming sense of responsibility to those who are overlooked or underserved continued with his work as an Honors Attorney. He worked on matters related to the Employee Retirement Security Act, which protects the retirement benefits of millions of workers. He also provided indispensable guidance on the department’s comprehensive enforcement plan to address labor law violations in Guatemala under the Central American Free Trade Agreement. And, as an Honors Attorney, he supported the department’s enforcement of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, which guarantees some rights and provides some transparency for union elections.
That was a comprehensive portfolio for an attorney in his first year on the job, but for someone like Juan, whose keenest interest is to “help in any way I can,” there weren’t many opportunities that can maximize good quite like the Honors Attorney program.
Years later after taking on the challenge of being an Honors Attorney, Juan continues his service in the Department of Labor helping “in any way he can” those in need of social and economic protections as a Senior Attorney in the Occupational Safety and Health Division of SOL.
“I serve as the OSH Division’s subject matter expert on warrants and other Fourth Amendment issues, which often involves assessing the sufficiency of OSHA’s probable cause evidence, advising regional attorneys on the validity and proper scope of inspections, and ensuring adherence to internal inspection protocols. I assist in the division’s special litigation efforts, including screening significant and egregious enforcement matters, and advise OSHA with respect to its rulemaking and special emphasis programs. I also represent the department in appellate proceedings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the U.S. Courts of Appeals.”
“Starting my legal career in the Honors Program at the Department of Labor was a tremendous blessing because it gave me the opportunity to work on a variety of areas of law before my permanent placement. The program also allowed me the space to develop long-lasting relationships with colleagues and mentors that have helped me grow as a person and as a government attorney.”