Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Announces Regulatory Reform Personnel Designations

WASHINGTON, DC – Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella today announced the designation of Jonathan Wolfson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, as the Department’s Regulatory Reform Officer. The Regulatory Reform Officer has the responsibility to oversee implementation of the Department’s regulatory reform initiatives and policies, ensuring that these are carried out effectively and consistently with applicable law. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Jonathan Berry, will continue in his role as the Regulatory Policy Officer for the Department and will continue to serve on the Department’s Regulatory Reform Task Force (RRTF). In addition to Wolfson and Berry, the Acting Secretary designated 10 other senior Department officials to serve on the RRTF. Wolfson will chair the task force. The additional officials designated are:

1. Stephanie Swirsky, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy;
2. Laura Dawkins, Director, Office of Regulatory and Programmatic Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy;
3. Nathan Mehrens, Associate Deputy Secretary;
4. Susan Boone, Deputy Administrator, Wage and Hour Division;
5. Jeanne Klinefelter Wilson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration;
6. Bill Perry, Director of Standards and Guidance, Occupational Safety and Health Administration;
7. Patricia Silvey, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations, Mine Safety and Health Administration;
8. Rachel Mondl, Deputy Solicitor;
9. Dennis Johnson, Director, Performance Management Center, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management; and
10. Fredrick Licari, Department Clearance Officer for Information Collections, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

In announcing these designations, Acting Secretary Pizzella stated, “The Department remains laser-focused on completing our regulatory reform agenda. These officials will ensure that this work is completed expeditiously and in a thorough manner, ensuring that the Department’s regulations serve the needs of today’s workforce.”

Jonathan Wolfson was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in July 2019. As Deputy Assistant Secretary, Wolfson coordinates the Department’s regulatory process to help advance the Department’s policy agenda. He regularly works with leadership and teams of economists, attorneys, and policy analysts across the Department to develop and analyze the regulations issued by the Department’s agencies. Wolfson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was an Olin Law & Economics Fellow and won the John M. Olin Prize for best original law and economics research.

The RRTF has the responsibility to evaluate existing regulations and make recommendations to the Secretary regarding their repeal, replacement, or modification, consistent with applicable law.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.