Our mission is to provide leadership to protect and improve the well-being of California’s current and future workforce.
The State of California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) is an executive branch Agency, and the Secretary is a member of the Governor’s Cabinet. The Agency oversees seven major departments, boards and panels that serve California businesses and workers. The Agency, which has a cumulative budget of $26 billion and 14,000 employees covering six main areas:
- Benefit administration, including workers’ compensation, unemployment, disability and family leave insurance.
- Enforcement of California labor laws to protect workers and create an even playing field for employers.
- Appellate functions related to employee benefits, regulations and enforcement in the workplace.
- Workforce development activities, including grant making for job training and coordination with other workforce development partners.
- Tax collection through the EDD, which is the third largest tax collection agency in the United States.
- Economic development activities that lead to job creation and improved economic competitiveness.
The goals of the Agency are twofold:
- Improve access to employment and training programs.
- Ensure that California businesses and workers have a level playing field in which to compete and prosper.
Business owners that follow the law face unfair competition from employers who do not pay employment taxes or the minimum wage, fail to provide workers’ compensation coverage, or break the law in other ways.
News and Announcements
- FED-ED extension for unemployment benefits will end soon in California
- California’s nonfarm payroll jobs increase by 18,200, Unemployment rate increases to 11.0 percent
- Employment Training Panel approves over $10M to train California workers for jobs of the 21st century.
- Legislation extends deadlines for federal unemployment extension benefits through 2012 (Updated February 24, 2012)
- California’s employment and unemployment data for January will be released on Friday, March 9
- Employment Training Panel approves over $8M to train California workers and help fund job creation.
- California’s unemployment rate decreases to 11.1 percent (Updated January 20, 2012)
- Cal/OSHA issues citations in first confirmed heat related fatality for 2011
- Employers Receiving Misleading Business Solicitations
- Green Challenge Innovation Grants
Featured Information
- Benefits
- Appeals
- Workforce Development
- Workforce Oversight
State Campaigns
Agency Members
- Agricultural Labor Relations Board
- California Business Investment Services
- California Employment Development Department
- California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
- California Workforce Investment Board
- Department of Industrial Relations/ Labor Commissioner
- Employment Training Panel
FAQs