North Carolina's Labor Commissioner Luke Farley stood before the Council of State this past week to recount his landmark first year in office. The scorecard, as presented in a statement on the state's Department of Labor website, boasted achievements from recovering over $2.5 million in unpaid wages to a 17.3% hike in elevator inspections, not to mention conducting a spotless State Fair safety record.
Amidst the list of initiatives, Farley underlined the complete eradication of the elevator inspection backlog—a first-ever for the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL). He also pointed to the record-low incident rate in the state's mining industry, an area buttressed by the educational groundwork laid by the Mine & Quarry Bureau. Additionally, Farley touted the department's #1 ranking for business and #2 for workplace safety, nationally. He mentioned the launch of the "Beat the Heat" Campaign, aimed at tackling summer workplace threats, and a decisive crackdown on an illegal mining operation out in Western NC.
The success of the NCDOL under Farley's guidance also translates into financial wins. As reported, the department implemented strong fiscal management, allowing it to withstand the Federal Shutdown without laying off compliance officers. In parallel, the state enhanced pay for workplace safety inspectors to stoke recruitment and retention, seemingly without extra costs to taxpayers. Furthermore, the enviable 7% agency-wide staffing vacancy rate sets a new low for a state government agency.
"We’ve kept our promises, delivered real results, and rebuilt the department’s capacity to serve — and we’re only getting started. The best is still ahead for North Carolina workers. Every achievement we’ve made this year is a direct win for workers across our state," Commissioner Farley stated, as noted by the same press release.
