DOL Adds Two New Members to Administrative Review Board
The ARB handles a wide range of cases involving worker protection.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Nov 27, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced a significant development in its leadership. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su appointed two new members to the Administrative Review Board (ARB), which adjudicates cases tied to worker protection laws. Angela Thompson and Jonathan Rolfe now join existing ARB members, a release said.
The ARB delivers decisions on behalf of the Secretary of Labor. Topics covered include environmental, transportation and securities whistleblower protection; H-1B immigration provisions; child labor; employment discrimination; job training; issues concerning seasonal and migrant workers, and those involving federal construction and service contracts.
Bringing a background in labor law, Thompson recently served as the general counsel of the Communications Workers of America. Previously, Thompson was the associate director of the legal department at the American Federation of Teachers, and she has also worked with the National Labor Relations Board and the Department’s Office of the Solicitor.
Meanwhile, Rolfe has experience from within the DOL. Prior to his appointment to the ARB, Rolfe served as vice chair of the Benefits Review Board (BRB), where he has been a member since 2015. His career also includes a role as a trial attorney in the DOL’s Office of the Solicitor.
ARB cases typically come as appeals from decisions made by the Department’s Administrative Law Judges or the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. These decisions can be further appealed to federal district or appellate courts and potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Thompson and Rolfe’s appointments bring the ARB to full membership. They join ARB Chair and Chief Judge Susan Harthill, Vice Chair Tammy L. Pust and Member Ivey Warren.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.