Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
Department of Labor Conference Report Fiscal Year 2015
In FY 2015, DOL continued its conference review process involving the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, the Office of the Solicitor, and the Deputy Secretary when required. DOL held 103 conferences or trainings where costs were over $20,000. In total, DOL incurred over $8.1 million in costs to the Department for conferences subject to the conference review process in the fiscal year.
Throughout the year, DOL hosted a variety of conferences and trainings ranging from:
- Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages State System Redesign Meeting that reviewed all requirements, incorporated revisions, removed and rewrote modifications made to accommodate previous design choices, addressed policy and technical issues, identified features to be removed or delayed until later phases, and worked with the new developers to deliver timely specifications and requirements in the form that is needed
- Black Lung Case Law Training that provided case law training to current Office of Administrative Law Judges staff reassigned to adjudicate Black Lung cases and new staff hired to adjudicate Black Lung cases. The training covered the specific law, processes, and procedures used to decide Black Lung cases.
- National Leadership Meetings designed to set the stage for the agency's significant initiatives for the next fiscal year, including organizational and management goals that are critical for the agency's successful implementation of its operating plan.
If there are any questions concerning this reporting, or if additional information is required, please contact Robert Balin, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, at Balin.Robert@dol.gov.
Department of Labor Conferences over $100,000 in costs to the Department
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Conference Title: Industrial Prices Refresher Training
Conference Expenses: $107,818.00
Location: Washington, DC
Date: August 18 — August 20, 2015
Explanation: The Industrial Price Programs consist of the Producer Price Index and the International Price Program. Both are Principal Federal Economic Indicators. The regional staff initiates business establishments into the surveys. The field staff are highly dispersed and duty stationed in over twenty-five locations. They collect data in all fifty states as well as Puerto Rico. This training conference permitted standard training on technical procedures and concepts, and provided a common understanding of program direction as well as a forum for discussing other essential topics such as the development of collection and response strategies. In addition, this training conference provided the regional Field Economists and their managers the opportunity to have closer communication with the National Office program staff.
Total Number of Participants: 112 total, 72 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
Conference Title: Managers' Conference
Conference Expenses: $249,101.58
Location: Kansas City, MO
Date: April 20 — April 24, 2015
Explanation: This training is critical to achieving EBSA's mission. This training is key to ensuring that EBSA's management and senior technical cadre are qualified to perform their jobs by being (1) knowledgeable about current issues and trends relating to regulating the very complicated financial and health care universe of private sector employee benefit plans and (2) well-versed in techniques/approaches for managing a large organization.
Total Number of Participants: 217 total, 203 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration
Conference Title: All-Staff Training and Staff Engagement Forum
Conference Expenses: $153,965.00
Location: Washington, DC
Date: September 15 — September 17, 2015
Explanation: The purpose of the three day session in September 2015 was to accelerate the transformation of the Office of Apprenticeship — a key mandate by Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez — by providing all-staff a greater understanding of the new vision and strategic direction for leading the Registered Apprenticeship system in the 21st century.
Total Number of Participants: 111 total, 81 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Conference Title: Leadership Meeting
Conference Expenses: $375,348.62
Location: Tampa, FL
Date: November 17 — November 21, 2014
Explanation: The meeting provided the opportunity to gather OSHA's top managers from both the Field and National Office to discuss program priorities and set the agenda for the next two years. The agenda focused on major enforcement issues and key management challenges. The agenda included workshops, panel discussions, and presentations that addressed critical emerging and ongoing issues of interest to the Agency, in addition to providing training on substantive management issues.
Total Number of Participants: 230 total, 228 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Office Of Disability Employment Policy
Conference Title: National Employment First Meeting
Conference Expenses: $158,490.00
Location: Washington, DC
Date: December 2, 2014
Explanation: The purpose of the meeting was to continue the dialogue needed to develop a national Employment First policy framework to improve the competitive, integrated employment outcomes of individuals with significant disabilities. The State participants and SMEs attending the meeting will provide providing feedback, information, and policy examples to help inform ODEP about what State agencies need to effectively implement an Employment First model.
Total Number of Participants: 127 total, 118 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
Conference Title: Front-Line Managers Meeting
Conference Expenses: $156,973.38
Location: Washington, DC
Date: September 22 — September 24, 2015
Explanation: The purpose of the meeting was to build management leadership skills by focusing on leadership competencies and technical skills which are essential to achieving OFCCP's mission.
Total Number of Participants: 92 total, 81 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
Conference Title: Continuing Professional Education Conference
Conference Expenses: $183,874.74
Location: Leesburg, VA
Date: July 26, 2015 — July 31, 2015
Explanation: This conference provided 40 hours of Continuing Professional Education to Office of Inspector General auditors and staff. This professional training requirement is mandated by GAO's Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards.
Total Number of Participants: 126 total, 126 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor
Conference Title: Management Meeting
Conference Expenses: $125,967.00
Location: Washington, DC
Date: July 28 — July 30, 2015
Explanation: A three day meeting where the first two days were primarily devoted to management skills training provided by the Office of Personnel Management, Human Resource Solutions, Center for Leadership Development. Also provided during the first two days were DOL led sessions relating to employment law, ethics, technology, and an address by the Deputy Secretary. The third day was primarily devoted to a menu of hour-long group sessions that involved substantive issues relating to the major Departmental enforcement programs: Wage Hour, OSHA, MSHA, OFCCP, ERISA, whistleblower, and Black Lung and Longshore. Attendees could also choose sessions relating to budgeting and financial management, managing client relationships, and government oversight issues. On the third day, attendees were required to attend at session to provide feedback to the Department evaluators about the Workplace Flexibilities Pilot.
Total Number of Participants: 100 total, 53 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Conference Title: Basic I Training
Conference Expenses: $229,316.06
Location: San Antonio, TX
Date: October 20 — November 7, 2014
Explanation: This required training is for new WHD investigators who have completed 12-weeks of pre-class course work comprised of online modules, readings, and on-the-job training. With a focus on enforcing provisions outlined in the Fair Labor Standards Act, this course provides classroom instruction from agency experts who provide a nationally standardized training experience. During the training, new investigators are given an opportunity to receive immediate feedback on enforcement and regulatory questions prior to their conducting of independent investigations. Trainees also complete two simulated investigations that reinforce proper investigative procedures under the close supervision of experienced facilitators.
Total Number of Participants: 64 total, 62 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Conference Title: Basic II Training
Conference Expenses: $291,526.20
Location: Washington, DC
Date: February 2-20, 2015
Explanation: This training is a required course intended for investigators who have accumulated at least 12 months of investigative experience following the Basic I Training. Investigators complete a series of pre-Basic II activities before attending the class. This final face-to-face training enables participants to conduct investigations beyond provisions covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Facilitated by agency experts, the training focuses on advanced regulatory knowledge and investigative skills. The curriculum addresses Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the Service Contract Act, Agriculture-related Acts, provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. The training also addresses outreach and education practices that support compliance of WHD enforced labor laws.
Total Number of Participants: 61 total, 56 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Conference Title: Basic IA Training
Conference Expenses: $126,306.60
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Date: April 13 — May 1, 2015
Explanation: Basic IA Training is a three-week (13 classroom days and two travel days) training designed to provide WHD technicians and other support staff with a working knowledge of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the Service Contract Act, agriculture-related acts including the Migrant Seasonal Worker Protection Act, and the H-1B and H-2B provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The training addresses the application of the regulatory knowledge with technical assistance, complaint intake, conciliations, and communication responsibilities.
Total Number of Participants: 46 total, 39 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Conference Title: New Managers Training
Conference Expenses: $129,145.40
Location: Washington, DC
Date: July 13 — July 24, 2015
Explanation: WHD's New Manager Training is a two-week classroom training designed to help new WHD managers to successfully address challenges related to achieving the agency's mission. Specifically, training focuses on three main areas that are critical for WHD's succession planning: enforcement, operations, and supervisory development. Instruction in these areas is a critical component of WHD's Operating Plan and directly supports the agency's strategic priorities and approach to enforcement.
Total Number of Participants: 58 total, 42 on travel
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Conference Title: Basic I Training
Conference Expenses: $417,419.54
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Date: August 3 — August 21, 2015
Explanation: This required training is for new WHD investigators who have completed 12-weeks of pre-class course work comprised of online modules, readings, and on-the-job training. With a focus on enforcing provisions outlined in the Fair Labor Standards Act, this course provides classroom instruction from agency experts who provide a nationally standardized training experience. During the training, new investigators are given an opportunity to receive immediate feedback on enforcement and regulatory questions prior to their conducting of independent investigations. Trainees also complete two simulated investigations that reinforce proper investigative procedures under the close supervision of experienced facilitators.
Total Number of Participants: 124 total, 123 on travel