The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new Open Data Portal, replacing the now decommissioned DOL Enforcement Database and covering data submitted to and recorded by several key agencies. This compliance alert examines the DOL’s news release, the list of agencies added, and the implications for your organization.
Summary
The DOL has published a press release announcing the launch of data.dol.gov, its new “Open Data Portal” in alignment with the OPEN Government Data Act of 2019 and Federal Data Strategy of President Trump’s first administration.
The portal provides public access to American workforce data handled by key agencies. In addition to replacing the older DOL Enforcement Database system, it has additionally increased the number of featured agencies from 5 to 9.
The full list of agencies available includes:
- API Training (TRNG)
- Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB)
- Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
- Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
- Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS)
- Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
- Women’s Bureau (WB)
The new portal includes an Application Programming Interface (API) that will allow third-party applications to pull complex custom requests. The press release notes that since the soft launch of the portal in October 2024, the API has already been queried over 5 million times.
Who Is Impacted?
The addition of VETS-4212 data to the portal will be of particular interest to federal contractors. Data previously submitted by federal contractors and subcontractors as part of their VETS-4212 reporting obligations is now publicly accessible, and this includes potentially competitively sensitive data such as counts of total employees and new hires, as well as counts of protected veteran employees and new hires, by location.
Actions Required
Federal contractors may wish to investigate the new portal to determine what information is available and the implications of that information.
Related Affirmity Services
Affirmity’s expert team stands ready to help prepare your future VETS-4212 and EEO-1 reporting, speedily delivering a fully compliant and accurate picture of your organization.
Gather the data you need to comply—contact us today to get started.
About the Author
Christine Avila, Manager, Consulting Services, has been with Affirmity since 2010. She manages a team of consultants and advises clients in a variety of industries on affirmative action, equal employment opportunity, and diversity issues.
Prior to joining Affirmity, Ms. Avila had seven years of compliance experience as well as four years of recruiting experience for companies in the media and finance industries. Ms. Avila has served on the North Texas Industry Liaison Group (NTILG) Board since 2011.