Dept. of Industrial Relations Records

Summary

Creators:

California. Dept. of Industrial Relations

Language:

English.

Background

Biographical / historical:

In 1927 the Legislature coalesced formerly independent enforcement and service agencies responsible for labor-management functions into the Department of Industrial Relations in order to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners of California, improve the working conditions and advance their opportunities for profitable employment (Stats. 1927, ch. 440). Initially, the work of the department was distributed among five divisions whose titles indicated their respective functions: Industrial Accidents and Safety, Housing and Sanitation, State Employment Agencies, Labor Statistics and Law Enforcement, and Industrial Welfare. The Director of Industrial Relations coordinated the activities of each division chief.

Subsequent changes resulted in the assimilation of the Division of Housing and Sanitation into a reconstituted Division of Immigration and Housing (Stats. 1931, ch. 597), and in the transfer of the Division of State Employment Agencies to the newly created Department of Employment (Stats. 1935, ch. 352). In 1945 a major reorganization of the department was proposed by Governor Warren and approved by the Legislature (Stats. 1945, ch. 1431). The Division of Fire Safety, established in 1929, was transferred out of the department to become an independent agency. With the immigrant aid features repealed, the Division of Immigration and Housing became the Division of Housing, and functioned through a five-member Commission of Housing until the division was absorbed into the new Department of Housing and Community Development in 1965. Statistical functions were delegated to a restructured Division of Labor Statistics and Research, and investigative and labor law enforcement cuties were retained in the renamed Division of Labor Law Enforcement. In 1975 the functions and responsibilities of the Divisions of Labor Law Enforcement and Industrial Welfare were consolicated into a new Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Stats. 1975, Appendix, Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1975). Likewise, the Division of Industrial Safety assumed its separate identity together with an Industrial Safety Board composed of the Director of Industrial Relations and four appointees. A distinct Division of Industrial Accidents continued to administer the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation, Insurance and Safety Act through augmentation of the membership of the Industrial Accident Commission (Stats. 1913, ch. 561) in two locations, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The State Compensation Insurance Fund (established concurrently with the Industrial Accident Commission) was removed from the Division of Industrial Accidents and assumed independent jurisdiction. The Division of Apprenticeship Standards and the Office of Self Insurers were added to the department.

The State Conciliation Service was established (Stats. 1947, ch. 1049) to investigate and mediate labor disputes, and the Division of Fair Employment Practices (Stats. 1959, ch. 121) was organized to provide essential staff services for the Fair Employment Practice Commission. Organizational and administrative details are provided in the sections which follow.

Physical description:

see

Location of this collection:

California State Archives

1020 "O" Street

Sacramento, CA 95814, US

Contact:

(916) 653-2246

reference@sos.ca.gov

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