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Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor
| Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $105,053 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $3,578,213 |
| Term limits: | 8 years |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Oklahoma Constitution, Article VI, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor
Leslie Osborn | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Oklahoma Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor is an elected position in the Oklahoma state government. The goal of the Oklahoma Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners of this state, improve working conditions, and advance opportunities for profitable employment.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor is Leslie Osborn (R). Osborn assumed office in 2019.
Authority
The Office of the Oklahoma Labor Commissioner is established in Article VI, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution.[2]
Article VI, Section 1:
| A. The Executive authority of the state shall be vested in a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Labor, Commissioner of Insurance and other officers provided by law and this Constitution, each of whom shall keep his office and public records, books and papers at the seat of government, and shall perform such duties as may be designated in this Constitution or prescribed by law.
B. The Secretary of State shall be appointed by the Governor by and with the consent of the Senate for a term of four (4) years to run concurrently with the term of the Governor. |
Qualifications
There are no specific qualifications for this office.
Vacancies
Under Article 6, Section 13 of the state Constitution, in the event of a vacancy in the office the governor appoints a person to serve until a successor is either elected or appointed and qualified by law.[2]
Duties
The official powers and duties are outlined in Title 40 of the Oklahoma Statutes:[3]
- foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners of this state
- improve working conditions of the wage earners
- advance opportunities of wage earners for profitable employment; and
- carry into effect all laws in relation to labor enacted by the legislature for which responsibility is assigned to the Commissioner of Labor
Divisions
- Updated January 27, 2021
- Administration
- Commissioner's Office
- Finance
- General Counsel
- Employment Standards Division
- Wage and Hour Division
- Child Labor Division
- PEOSH Unit
- Statistics
- OSHA Consultation Services
- Safety Standards Division
- Asbestos
- Alarm, Locksmith, Fire Sprinkler
- Alternative Fuels
- Amusement Ride Inspections
- Boiler and Welder
- Elevator Inspections
- Licensing Division[4]
Elections
The Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor is elected in even years during mid-term elections (i.e. 2018, 2022, 2026, and 2030).
Term limits
Article 6, Section 4, Oklahoma Constitution says no person may serve as the Oklahoma Labor Commissioner for more than eight years, excluding years served for less than a full term to fill a vacancy in the office.[2]
2022
General election
General election for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor
Incumbent Leslie Osborn defeated Jack Henderson and Will Daugherty in the general election for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Leslie Osborn (R) | 65.7 | 747,037 |
 | Jack Henderson (D) | 29.3 | 333,741 | |
| Will Daugherty (L) | 5.0 | 57,006 | ||
| Total votes: 1,137,784 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor
Incumbent Leslie Osborn defeated Sean Roberts in the Republican primary runoff for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Leslie Osborn | 53.0 | 143,937 |
 | Sean Roberts | 47.0 | 127,585 | |
| Total votes: 271,522 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Jack Henderson advanced from the Democratic primary for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor
Incumbent Leslie Osborn and Sean Roberts advanced to a runoff. They defeated Keith Swinton in the Republican primary for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Leslie Osborn | 47.8 | 160,753 |
| ✔ | | Sean Roberts | 38.3 | 128,669 |
 | Keith Swinton | 13.9 | 46,758 | |
| Total votes: 336,180 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Will Daugherty advanced from the Libertarian primary for Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor.
Past elections
State budget
- See also: Oklahoma state budget and finances
The budget for the Labor Department in Fiscal Year 2025 was $3,578,213.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
See statutes: Title 74, Chapter 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes
Title 74, Chapter 10, Section 250.4 (§74‑250.4) of the Oklahoma Statutes sets the commissioner's annual salary equal to that of a special judge.[6] The amount of compensation is prescribed by law, pursuant to Article VI, Section 34 of the Oklahoma Constitution:[2]
| Each of the officers in this article named shall, at stated times, during his continuance in office, receive for his services a compensation, which shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which he shall have been elected; nor shall he receive to his use, any fees, cost, or perquisites of office or other compensation. |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2014
In 2014, the labor commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2013
In 2013, the labor commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2010
In 2010, the labor commissioner received a salary of $105,053, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Oklahoma Department of Labor
3017 N. Stiles, Suite 100
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone: (405) 521-6100
Toll free: (888) 269-5353
Fax: (405) 521-6018
E-mail: labor.info@labor.ok.gov
See also
| Oklahoma | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Oklahoma Department of Labor, "About ODOL," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Oklahoma State Legislature, "Oklahoma Constitution," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma State Legislature, "Oklahoma Statutes," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma Department of Labor, "Staff Directory," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma House of Representatives, "Appropriations and Budget Subcommittees," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Statutes, §74-250.4," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 27, 2021
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed January 27, 2021
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