Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta has released the fiscal year 2018 budget request for the Department of Labor (DOL). According to the official press release, it supports President Donald J. Trump’s plan to invest in priorities that will help American workers develop the necessary skills to meet the demands of a 21st century economy and get good, safe jobs, provide working families access to paid leave, assist employers in meeting their responsibilities under worker protection laws, and restore fiscal responsibility.
The FY 2018 budget provides $9.7 billion in discretionary funding for the department. This funding level, coupled with mandatory investments and reforms, supports critical functions of the department, while providing a strong investment return for the American taxpayer, by consolidating or eliminating duplicative or ineffective programs.
“This budget reflects the Department of Labor’s core mission and commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to good, safe jobs – and does so in a fiscally responsible way,” said Secretary Acosta. “Most importantly, this budget focuses on narrowing the skills gap, and includes a proposal to provide new mothers, fathers, and adoptive parents with paid family leave, the cost of which is completely offset by reforms to the Unemployment Insurance system.”