NJ Dept. of Labor: Celebrating 140 Years of Services

On Jan 12, 2018

The Bureau of Statistics of Labor was formed 140 years ago in 1878, paving the way for the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) in 1904. This month, LWD celebrates that 140 years of services to residents of the Garden State.

To embrace the Department’s vital role in shaping history, a collection of key artifacts, historic documents, and pictures from the Department were displayed in its Trenton Auditorium for staff members to read and enjoy. Memorabilia included telegraphs, handwritten correspondence from previous governors, and manuals and annual reports from past administrations, some dating back to the late 1800’s. The display was made possible with help from the New Jersey State Archives and the New Jersey State Museum.

“The forward thinking role of this Department, in its many forms, has served as a model for the nation,” said Aaron R. Fichtner, Ph.D., Labor Commissioner. “Sharing and celebrating this rich history with our employees reinforces how their contributions, and that of their predecessors, help make New Jersey’s workforce strong.”

Key moments from the Department’s history include:

• 1878: The Bureau of Statistics of Labor was formed
• 1885: The Bureau of Factory & Workshop Inspection was created establishing workplace safety standards, and new child protections
• 1904: The New Jersey Department of Labor was formed
• 1911: Workmen’s Compensation Law was passed
• 1918: Workmen’s Compensation Bureau was established (Later renamed Workers’ Compensation Bureau in 1975 due to the growing number of women in the workforce)
• 1933: New Jersey Minimum Wage Law was enacted
• 1948: The Department of Labor and Industry was established; New Jersey become one of only five states to offer Temporary Disability Benefits for non-work illness or disability
• 1973: The Comprehensive Employment & Training Act supports dislocated workers at all stages of their careers; The Rehabilitation Act supports jobseekers with disabilities
• 2004: The organization was renamed as the Department of Labor & Workforce Development when new and existing workforce programs in the state were consolidated under Labor’s authority

Commissioner Fichtner took this opportunity to celebrate the Department’s extraordinary past … and present. Nominations for “Unsung Heroes” of the Department were accepted from all LWD employees. The more than 20 awardees selected were honored for their exemplary contributions to the Department. The five staff members that comprise the Department’s “Move Crew” were also selected as “2017 Employees of the Year”.

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