Federal Position Descriptions
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Solicitor

Solicitor, Department of Labor
Responsibility
Management Scope

In fiscal 2015, the Department of Labor had $45,217 million in outlays and 15,086 total employment. In addition, it receives funding from other sources, such as the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. The president’s fiscal 2017 request for solicitor’s office is $148,497,000. The solicitor currently has about 750 full time employees. The Solicitor’s senior executive team is composed of about 22 officials.

Primary Responsibilities

• Advises the Secretary on policy decisions on legal matters relating to workplace health and safety, minimum wage and overtime compensation, employee retirement income security, equal employment opportunity, labor practices, workforce development, employment security and unemployment insurance, worker compensation, veterans’ readjustment assistance and reemployment rights, and international labor affairs.
• Represents the Secretary and the client agencies in all necessary litigation, including both enforcement actions and defensive litigation, and in alternative dispute resolution activities
• Assists the Secretary in making final litigation decisions on sensitive and critical matters
• Represents the Secretary in interagency negotiations on legal matters relating to policy and on litigation matters
• Assists in the development of regulations, standards and legislative proposals
• Provides legal opinions and advice concerning all the department’s activities
• Serves as acting secretary in the absence of the Secretary or Deputy Secretary
• Responsible for managing the Office of the Solicitor, including making personnel decisions and overseeing the budget
• Oversees eight regions serving as the department’s frontline enforcement, including trial level litigation

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Accomplished employment and labor relations attorney
• Significant management experience
• Understanding of federal regulatory and legislative processes
• Familiarity with the public workforce system and/or unemployment insurance system

Competencies

• Ability to prioritize and manage a significant number of policy initiatives and legal matters simultaneously while pushing the ball forward

Past Appointments
  • M. Patricia Smith (2010 to 2017) – Chief of the Labor Bureau, Office of the New York Attorney General; Deputy Bureau Chief and Section Chief of the Labor Bureau, Office of the New York Attorney General; Legal Services Organizations focused on representing unemployment claimants
  • Gregory Jacob (2007 to 2009) – Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Labor; Special Assistant to President Bush; Attorney Advisor, Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel
  • Howard Radzely (2003 to 2007) – Deputy Solicitor for National Operations, Department of Labor; Senior Associate, Wiley, Rein & Fielding; Clerk, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Antonin Scalia
AGENCY

Department of Labor

Mission: To foster and promote the welfare of job seekers, wage earners and retirees of the United States by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment and protecting benefits.

COMPENSATION

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)1

REPORTS TO

The Secretary of the Department of Labor

SENATE COMMITTEE

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

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Footnote
  1. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.
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