§ 22-1-1-8 — Commissioner of labor; general powers and duties

The commissioner of labor may do the
following:
(1) Make or cause to be made all necessary inspections to see that
all of the laws and rules enacted or adopted for that purpose and
that the department is required to enforce are promptly and
effectively administered and executed.
(2) Collect, collate, and publish statistical and other information
relating to working conditions in this state and to the enforcement
of this chapter and such rules as may be necessary to the
advancement of the purposes of this chapter, but no publicity of
any information involving the name or identity of any employer,
employee, or other person, firm, limited liability company, or
corporation shall be given. It shall be unlawful for the
commissioner or any person to divulge, or to make known in any
way not provided by law, to any person the operation, style of
work, or apparatus of any employer, or the amount or sources of
income, profits, losses, expenditures, or any part thereof obtained
by the commissioner in the discharge of the commissioner's
official duties.
(3) Except as otherwise provided by law, employ, promote, and
remove clerks, inspectors, and other employees as needed or as
the service of the department of labor may require, and with the
approval of the governor, within the appropriation therefor, fix
their compensation and assign to them their duties.
(4) Promote the voluntary arbitration, mediation, and conciliation
of disputes between employers and employees, for the purpose of
avoiding strikes, lockouts, boycotts, blacklists, discrimination,
and legal proceedings in matters of employment. The
commissioner may appoint temporary boards of arbitration,
provide for the payment of the necessary expenses of the boards,
order reasonable compensation paid to each member engaged in
arbitration, prescribe and adopt rules of procedure for arbitration
boards, conduct investigations and hearings, publish reports and
advertisements, and do all other things convenient and necessary
to accomplish the purpose of this chapter. The commissioner may
designate an employee of the department to act as chief mediator
and may detail other employees, from time to time, to act as the
commissioner's assistants for the purpose of executing this
chapter. Any employee of the department who may act on a
temporary board shall serve without extra compensation.
(5) Render advisory opinions as provided in IC 36-8-22-12.
Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.8. As amended by P.L.37-1985,
SEC.22; P.L.8-1993, SEC.269; P.L.6-2012, SEC.149; P.L.6-2022,
SEC.1.