The Senate confirmed Keith Sonderling as U.S. Secretary of Labor on September 30, 2026, by a 47-41 vote. Sonderling had already been leading the Department of Labor (DOL) in an acting capacity following former Secretary Lori Chaves-DeRemer’s departure in April. He now formally oversees a department whose responsibilities include federal workplace-safety and health enforcement, MSHA and OSHA.

A Familiar Face at DOL

Sonderling brings substantial federal labor and employment experience to the role. Before becoming Secretary, he served as Deputy Secretary of Labor. During the first Trump Administration, he held leadership positions in DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, and from 2020 to 2024, he served as an EEOC commissioner, including a period as vice chair.

For employers and safety professionals, one theme in Sonderling’s record is worth watching: an emphasis on compliance assistance alongside enforcement. As Deputy Secretary, Sonderling helped launch a department-wide opinion-letter program intended to provide employers and workers with clearer guidance about federal requirements, including through OSHA letters of interpretation and MSHA compliance resources. OSHA later issued seven interpretation letters addressing topics including confined spaces, powered-industrial-truck training, injury recordkeeping, engineering controls, audiometric testing, and stair requirements.

As Safety Law Matters previously reported, OSHA’s CARE initiative combines employer collaboration and compliance resources with continued enforcement, particularly for serious and repeat violators. During his confirmation hearing, Sonderling told senators that OSHA had hired more than 90 new inspectors and was continuing to recruit.

The Practical Takeaway

Sonderling’s confirmation does not in itself change employers’ legal obligations. The more important developments will be the rules, interpretations, enforcement priorities, and resource decisions that follow under his leadership.

For now, employers can expect a dual-track approach, i.e., more tools to help understand and comply with workplace-safety requirements, coupled with continued enforcement where serious hazards or higher-risk workplaces warrant attention. Safety professionals should keep an eye on new interpretation letters, compliance-assistance initiatives, and enforcement priorities, and take advantage of new guidance. Husch Blackwell will continue to monitor developments in these areas.

If you have questions about how Sonderling’s appointment could impact your organization, please contact Donna Pryor, Angela Bubis, or your Husch Blackwell attorney.