President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Keith Sonderling to serve as the new deputy labor secretary, a post that will make him the second-in-command at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Sonderling, a former Republican commissioner on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), will need Senate approval for the position.
Sonderling’s new role places him in charge of managing key DOL divisions such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Wage and Hour Division. He previously served as the acting and deputy administrator of the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division and taught employment discrimination at The George Washington University Law School.
Trump announced the nomination on Truth Social, emphasizing that Sonderling will work with Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the Republican nominee for secretary of labor, to prioritize American workers. Sonderling expressed his gratitude for the nomination on LinkedIn, thanking Trump for the opportunity.
Employment law firm Littler referred to Sonderling as a “complementary pick” for Trump’s labor-friendly approach. His role is expected to focus on providing compliance guidance through opinion letters, addressing concerns related to technology and business, and supporting the gig economy and independent contractors. The nomination is expected to bring more balance to DOL leadership under the new administration.
