29 USC § 553 - Assistant Secretaries; appointment; duties

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t29/s553"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "29 USC § 553 - Assistant Secretaries; appointment; duties"
title_number: 29
title_name: "LABOR"
section_number: "553"
section_name: "Assistant Secretaries; appointment; duties"
chapter_number: 12
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF LABOR"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Apr. 17, 1946, ch. 140, § 2, 60 Stat. 91; Pub. L. 87–137, § 1, Aug. 11, 1961, 75 Stat. 338; Pub. L. 91–596, § 29(a), Dec. 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 1618; Pub. L. 99–619, § 2(b)(1), Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3491.)"
---


# § 553. Assistant Secretaries; appointment; duties

There are established in the Department of Labor nine offices of Assistant Secretary of Labor, which shall be filled by appointment by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each of the Assistant Secretaries of Labor shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Labor or required by law. One of such Assistant Secretaries shall be an Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

---

**Source Credit**: (Apr. 17, 1946, ch. 140, § 2, 60 Stat. 91; Pub. L. 87–137, § 1, Aug. 11, 1961, 75 Stat. 338; Pub. L. 91–596, § 29(a), Dec. 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 1618; Pub. L. 99–619, § 2(b)(1), Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3491.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Provisions of this section which prescribed the basic annual compensation of the Assistant Secretaries were omitted to conform to the provisions of the Executive Schedule. See , Government Organization and Employees.

Section was formerly classified to  prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by , , .

### Amendments

1986— substituted “nine offices” for “five offices”.

1970— increased the number of Assistant Secretaries of Labor from four to five and inserted provision that one of such Assistant Secretaries be an Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

1961— increased the number of Assistant Secretaries of Labor from three to four.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 120 days after  see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

### Assistant Secretaries for Administration and Management and Public Affairs

> “Notwithstanding
> 
> (
> 
> ), the appointment of individuals to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management and the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs within the Department of Labor, shall not be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.”

, , , provided that:

### References in Other Laws

> “Any reference in any law, regulation, certificate, directive, or other document to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment in force on the date of enactment of this Act [
> 
> ] shall be deemed to be a reference to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training.”

, , , provided that:

### Present Incumbent

, , , provided that the incumbent in the position of Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment on , could serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training at the pleasure of the President after such date and that the amendments made by subsection (b)(2) of  to  were to apply to such incumbent.

## Executive Documents

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of Labor, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Labor, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 6, of 1950, §§ 1, 2, 15 F.R. 3174, , set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.