U.S. Department of Labor Launches Opinion Letter Program

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the launch of its opinion letter program. This expands the department’s longstanding commitment to providing meaningful compliance assistance that helps workers, employers and other stakeholders understand how federal labor laws apply in specific workplace situations.

The program spans five key enforcement agencies within the department:

• The Wage and Hour Division will issue opinion letters;
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will provide letters of interpretation;
• The Employee Benefits Security Administration will release advisory opinions and information letters; and
• The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service will issue opinion letters.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration will provide compliance assistance resources through its new MSHA Information Hub, a centralized platform offering guidance, regulatory updates, training materials and technical support.

Opinion letters provide official written interpretations from the department’s enforcement agencies, explaining how laws apply to specific factual circumstances presented by individuals or organizations. By addressing real-world questions, they promote clarity, consistency, and transparency in the application of federal labor standards.

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