North Carolina Commissioner of Labor
| North Carolina Commissioner of Labor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $146,421 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $26,356,022 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | North Carolina Constitution, Article III, Section 7 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
North Carolina Commissioner of Labor
Kevin O'Barr | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 7, 2028 |
| Last election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Other North Carolina Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The North Carolina Commissioner of Labor is an elected state executive position in the North Carolina state government. The commissioner is the head of the North Carolina Department of Labor and a member of the Council of State.[1] The mission of the Department of Labor is "to foster a safe, healthy, fair and productive North Carolina."[2] The department provides and encourages education and training, administers regulatory mandates related to labor, and enhances public confidence in the department.[2]
The commissioner is elected by a statewide vote during presidential election years and serves for a four-year term.
Current officeholder
The acting North Carolina Commissioner of Labor is Kevin O'Barr (D). O'Barr assumed office in 2024.
Authority
The commissioner of labor's establishment and term of office are derived from Article III, Section 7 of the North Carolina Constitution.
Article III, Section 7:
| A Secretary of State, an Auditor, a Treasurer, a Superintendent of Public Instruction, an Attorney General, a Commissioner of Agriculture, a Commissioner of Labor, and a Commissioner of Insurance shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State in 1972 and every four years thereafter, at the same time and places as members of the General Assembly are elected. Their term of office shall be four years and shall commence on the first day of January next after their election and continue until their successors are elected and qualified.[3] |
Qualifications
Article VI, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
| Every qualified voter in North Carolina who is 21 years of age, except as in this Constitution disqualified, shall be eligible for election by the people to office.[3] |
- Qualified North Carolina voter
- At least 21 years of age
Vacancies
Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article III, Section 7.
If a vacancy occurs in the office, the governor appoints another to serve until a successor is elected and qualified. Every such vacancy shall be filled by election at the first election for members of the General Assembly that occurs more than 60 days after the vacancy has taken place, and the person chosen shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.[3]
Duties
The commissioner of labor is the head of the North Carolina Department of Labor and a member of the Council of State.[1] The mission of the Department of Labor is "to foster a safe, healthy, fair and productive North Carolina."[2] The department providing and encouraging quality education and training, consistently and fairly administering its regulatory mandates related to labor, and enhancing public confidence in the department.[2] The department provides and encourages education and training, administers regulatory mandates related to labor, and enhances public confidence in the department.[2] Additional duties of the commissioner include, but are not limited to:[4]
- Inspecting, either personally or through a subsidiary, the state's workplaces where goods are manufactured, purchased, or sold, and prosecuting all violations of laws related to those inspections;
- Appointing clerks, stenographers, and other employees to the various divisions in order to carry out the work of the department;
- Administering the provisions of law relating to the voluntary arbitration of labor disputes; and
- Appointing members to the 11-person State Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health.
Elections
North Carolina elects the labor commissioner in presidential election years. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, which begins the first day of January following the election.[3]
2024
General election candidates
- Braxton Winston II (Democratic Party)
- Luke Farley (Republican Party) ✔
Did not make the ballot:
- Ben Moss (Republican Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Democratic primary candidates
This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Republican primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
2020
General election candidates
- Jessica Holmes (Democratic Party)
- Josh Dobson (Republican Party) ✔
Democratic primary candidates
This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
Did not make the ballot:
Republican primary candidates
2016
The general election for labor commissioner was held on November 8, 2016.
Incumbent Cherie Berry defeated Charles Meeker in the North Carolina labor commissioner election.
| North Carolina Labor Commissioner, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Cherie Berry Incumbent |
55.29% | 2,479,451 | |
| Democratic | Charles Meeker | 44.71% | 2,005,037 | |
| Total Votes | 4,484,488 | |||
| Source: ABC11 | ||||
Full History
To view the electoral history dating back to 2000 for the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Labor, click [show] to expand the section. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012Incumbent Cherie Berry (R) successfully won re-election, defeating John C. Brooks (D) in the November 6, 2012 general election.
2008On November 4, 2008, Cherie Berry won re-election to the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Labor. She defeated Mary Fant Donnan (D) in the general election.
2004 On November 2, 2004, Cherie Berry won re-election to the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Labor. She defeated Wayne Goodwin (D) in the general election.
2000 On November 7, 2000, Cherie Killian Berry won election to the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Labor. She defeated Doug Berger (D) in the general election.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Divisions
The commissioner of labor is the head of the Department of Labor, which has three primary divisions - Administration, Occupational Safety and Health, and Standards and Inspections.[2]
Administration
- The Administration Division includes the following subdivisions:[5]
- Communications: provides information to the media and public.
- Financial Services: is responsible for the agency's fiscal-related areas.
- Governmental Affairs: tracks legislation and represents the department before the general assembly.
- Human Resources: manages and administers personnel policies in the department.
- Legal Affairs: handles rulemaking and advises the commissioner on legal issues.
Occupational Safety and Health
- The Occupational Safety and Health Division administers the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973. It includes the following subdivisions:[6]
- Agricultural Safety and Health: ensures compliance with agricultural safety and health standards.
- Compliance: conducts inspections of businesses to ensure compliance with workplace safety and health standards.
- Consultative Services: provides free consultation to employers requesting help to comply with safety and health standards.
- Education Training and Technical Assistance: coordinates and conducts outreach programs relating to safety and health standards.
- Planning, Statistics and Information Management: provides statistical data about employers and manages the inspection targeting system.
Standards and Inspections
- The Standards and Inspections Division includes the following subdivisions:[7]
- Boiler Safety: regulates the construction, installation, repair, and operation of vessels.
- Elevator and Amusement Device: oversees the installation and operation of elevators, escalators, amusement park rides, and aerial passenger tramways.
- Mine and Quarry: provides education and training to miners to identify and eliminate hazards.
- Wage and Hour: enforces minimum wage, maximum hours, wage payment, and child labor laws.
- Retaliatory Employment Discrimination: protects employees who file good-faith inquiries about workers' compensation or rights and conducts investigations from such inquiries.
State budget
- See also: North Carolina state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Labor in Fiscal Year 2025 was $26,356,022.[8]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Article III, Section 9 of the North Carolina Constitution defines the method by which the commissioner's compensation is set:
| The officers whose offices are established by this Article shall at stated periods receive the compensation and allowances prescribed by law, which shall not be diminished during the time for which they have been chosen.[3] |
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $146,421, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $136,699, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $133,365, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner received a salary of $125,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner received a salary of $125,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of $124,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of $124,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
Historical officeholders
Historical officeholders
There have been 17 commissioners of labor since 1887.[19] Of the 17 commissioners, ten were Democratic, three were Republican, one was a member of the Populist Party, and three did not have party information.[20]
| List of Historical Officeholders from 1887-Present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | Wesley N. Jones | 1887-1889 | N/A | ||
| 2 | John C. Scarborough | 1889-1892 | N/A | ||
| 3 | William I. Harris | 1892-1893 | N/A | ||
| 4 | Benjamin R. Lacy | 1893-1897 |  Democratic
| ||
| 5 | James Y. Hamrick | 1897-1899 | Populist Party | ||
| 6 | Benjamin R. Lacy | 1899-1901 | Democratic
| ||
| 7 | Henry B. Varner | 1901-1909 | Democratic
| ||
| 8 | Mitchell L. Shipman | 1909-1925 | Democratic
| ||
| 9 | Franklin D. Grist | 1925-1933 | Democratic
| ||
| 10 | Arthur L. Fletcher | 1933-1938 | Democratic
| ||
| 11 | Forest H. Shuford | 1938-1954 | Democratic
| ||
| 12 | Frank Crane | 1954-1973 | Democratic
| ||
| 13 | William C. Creel | 1973-1975 | Democratic
| ||
| 14 | Thomas A. Nye, Jr. | 1975-1977 |  Republican
| ||
| 15 | John C. Brooks | 1977-1993 | Democratic
| ||
| 16 | Harry E. Payne, Jr. | 1993-2001 | Democratic
| ||
| 17 | Cherie K. Berry | 2001-2021 | Republican
| ||
| 18 | Josh Dobson | 2021-2024 | Republican
| ||
| 18 | Kevin O'Barr | 2024-Present | Democratic
| ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms North Carolina Commissioner of Labor. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Physical address:
4 W. Edenton Street
Raleigh, N.C. 27603
Mailing address:
1101 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1011
Phone: 1-800-625-2267
Legal email: [email protected]
OSH email: [email protected]
See also
| North Carolina | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 N.C. Department of Labor, "Meet Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 N.C. Department of Labor, "About NCDOL," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 North Carolina State Legislature, "North Carolina State Constitution," accessed Feb. 1, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "NC Gen Stat § 95 (2019)," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ N.C. Department of Labor, "Administration Division," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ N.C. Department of Labor, "Occupational Safety and Health Division," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ N.C. Department of Labor, "Standards and Inspections Division," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "House Bill 259," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
- ↑ Benjamin R. Lacy (D) served two non-consecutive terms.
- ↑ Carolana.com, "Commissioner of Labor," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
| ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
 |
State of North Carolina Raleigh (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
