Alabama. Dept. of Labor (1935-1939)

The original Department of Labor was created in 1935. Its original legally authorized duties were, under gubernatorial direction, to administer all laws relating to hours of work, child labor, employer and employee, working conditions, and to promote the voluntary arbitration, medication, and conciliation of disputes between employer and employee. Furthermore, the department was authorized to establish and conduct free public employment offices. The provisions of the original creating act did not apply to any state-owned or operated institutions, nor to laws pertaining to the regulation and inspection of mines, nor to Workmen's Compensation laws and their subsequent enforcement. (Acts 1935, No. 433, Sec. 1-2) Previously the child welfare duties of the dept. were performed by the Child Welfare Dept., State Factory Inspector, State Prison Inspector, and the Inspector of Jails and Almshouses.

The original Department of Labor was headed by a Commissioner of Labor who was appointed and commissioned by the Governor. As was the case with all other gubernatorial appointees, the Commissioner served at the pleasure of the Governor and may have been removed by the Governor with or without cause. The Commissioner's original term of office was four years (unless otherwise removed by the Governor). He was paid a salary of $3600.00 per year in equal monthly installments. (Acts 1935, No. 433, Sec. 3)

The Commissioner was to create within the Department of Labor such number of divisions as would provide the most efficient administration of the legally authorized duties of the Department. Furthermore, he, with the approval of the Governor, was authorized to employ such clerical, technical, and such other personnel as were necessary to aid him in performance of the duties enjoined on him by the creating act and for the overall administration, and perpetuation of the said Department's legislatively allocated duties and functions. The creating act, also, stated quite emphatically that any individual employed by the Commissioner may have been removed by him at any given time. Furthermore the Commissioner was authorized to name department heads, create an Advisory Council, and to conduct a continuous study of the labor conditions in Alabama. (Acts 1935, No. 433, Sec. 4-7)

In 1939, as a result of an act of the state legislature, the State Department of Labor, the Office of Commissioner of Labor, the Unemployment Compensation Commission, the offices of Chief Mine Inspector for coal mines and associate inspectors and the office of Compensation Commissioner were abolished. Their duties, functions, personnel, property, and appropriations were legally transferred and reassigned to the Department of Industrial Relations, the Director of Industrial Relations, and the Board of Appeals of the Department of Industrial Relations, and Boards of Mediation. (Acts 1939, No. 161, Prelude to Act)

Authorities:

1975 Alabama Code, 25:3:1-4, 25:7:1-16.

Alabama Government Manual, 1982.

Acts 1935, No. 433, P. 911.

Acts 1939, No. 161, p. 232.

Acts 1943, No. 298, p. 252.

Alabama Official and Statistical Register.