New Policy Committee on Wage and Hour Announced

WASHINGTON - The National Association of State Workforce Agencies announced its newest national policy committee, Wage & Hour. The committee will serve as a forum for state workforce and labor agency employees charged with enforcing wage and hour laws.

"Our national policy committees provide state staff with significant opportunities to learn from their peers around the nation and inform policy development," said Scott B. Sanders, NASWA President and CEO. "We are excited to launch this new committee, giving state leaders the opportunity to share promising practices and make recommendations to the U.S. Department of Labor and federal policymakers."

The new committee was approved by the NASWA Board of Directors in December 2021 and is led by Laura Fortman, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor, who will serve as the inaugural chair of the committee. She has served as a senior executive at both the federal and state levels, working to protect the rights of workers and ensure they have access to jobs allowing them to support themselves and their families. Chairwoman Fortman brings a wealth of expertise to the committee from her past position as the Deputy Administrator of the U. S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division from 2013 – 2017.

The Wage and Hour Committee is now accepting nominations for membership. All those interested can seek nomination through their agency’s state administrator (agency commissioner or secretary) by submitting a request to naswa@naswa.org.