The Department is responsible for administering programs that provide an income for workers to offset the loss of a job because of an injury or layoff; determine the appropriate bargaining unit for public employees; regulate wages for public works and construction projects; promote safe working environments; enforce Missouri's anti-discriminatory statutes and protect Missouri citizens in the areas of housing, employment and public accommodations.

Labor and Industrial Relations Commission hears all appeals from decisions and awards in workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, prevailing wage and victims of crimes compensation cases at the highest administrative level.  In addition, the Commission determines an appropriate bargaining unit of public employees, based on their community of interest and conducts secret ballot elections to determine majority status.

Division of Employment Security's objectives are to collect contributions from employers and pay unemployment benefits to individuals who are eligible under the law and are unemployed within the meaning of the law.
Division of Workers' Compensation provides information about employer requirements to have workers' compensation insurance; answers questions about worker's compensations benefits; assist victims of violent crimes; evaluates work sites for worker safety; provides information to employers on self-insuring for workers' compensation insurance purposes and investigates allegations or workers' compensation fraud and noncompliance.

Division of Labor Standards provides information about mine safety, worker safety and health, compliance with child labor laws, prevailing wage, minimum wage, overtime and dismissal rights. The Division is responsible for the inspection of Missouri mines and caves.
Missouri Commission on Human Rights responds to complaints of alleged discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, physical/mental handicap, age (40 to 70 employment only) and familial status (housing only).

All of the departments in Missouri state government contain at least one administrative division or unit which provides support in fiscal management, accounting, personnel and training, research and data processing. Because of similarity of these duties and because each department only has one page of print space, these units are not described in detail.

For more information on these divisions, contact the department director.