Oct. 1, 2019 will bring more than just a new month — it also will herald a new EBSA. According to recent reports, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration will be reorganized, effective that day.
The changes will expand the number of deputy assistant secretaries of labor who will report to EBSA chief Assistant Secretary of Labor Preston Rutledge from two to three, according to the Groom Law Group. They add that the reorganization also will change the way that EBSA’s oversight functions are allocated.
Significantly, the reorganization will result in the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, who is a political appointee, taking on oversight of exemption determinations as well as the Office of Regulations and Interpretations. Those functions had been performed by the deputy assistant secretary who hails from among EBSA’s career staff.
According to the Groom Law Group and Benefitspro, the reallocation will result in the following changes in the deputy assistant secretaries’ duties:
| Deputy Assistant Secretary | Current Duties | Duties Beginning Oct. 1, 2019 |
| Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (political appointee) | Directs EBSA policy, legislative, research functions | Oversight of:
|
| Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program Operations (comes from career staff) | Oversight of program operations, including:
|
Deputy Assistant for the National Office; Oversight of:
|
| Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Offices (will come from career staff) | — | Oversight of EBSA’s 10 regional offices |
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeanne Klinefelter Wilson will remain in that role; Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program Operations Timothy Hauser will take on the new role as Deputy Assistant for the National Office.
- Log in to post comments