Next year will mark 100 years since the creation of the Department of Labor.

President William Howard Taft signed into law the bill creating the department on March 4, 1913. In the years that followed, regulations and programs protecting worker rights and safety poured out, including those concerning child labor, working women, and workers’ compensation.

Although people likely always will disagree about certain DOL practices and regulatory actions, the positive impact the department has had on the country’s workforce is hard to deny.

I was prompted to write about this topic eight months prior to the anniversary after seeing the department’s profile picture on its Twitter page. (See image on left.)

What are your thoughts on DOL’s upcoming anniversary, and the image the department chose to recognize a century of achievement? Let me know in the comments below.

The opinions expressed in "Washington Wire" do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.