Sec. 8. The commissioner of labor may do the following:

(1) Make or cause to be made all necessary inspections to see that all of the laws and rules enacted or adopted for that purpose and that the department is required to enforce are promptly and effectively administered and executed.

(2) Collect, collate, and publish statistical and other information relating to working conditions in this state and to the enforcement of this chapter and such rules as may be necessary to the advancement of the purposes of this chapter, but no publicity of any information involving the name or identity of any employer, employee, or other person, firm, limited liability company, or corporation shall be given. It shall be unlawful for the commissioner or any person to divulge, or to make known in any way not provided by law, to any person the operation, style of work, or apparatus of any employer, or the amount or sources of income, profits, losses, expenditures, or any part thereof obtained by him in the discharge of his official duties.

(3) Except as otherwise provided by law, employ, promote, and remove clerks, inspectors, and other employees as needed or as the service of the department of labor may require, and with the approval of the governor, within the appropriation therefor, fix their compensation and to assign to them their duties.

(4) Promote the voluntary arbitration, mediation, and conciliation of disputes between employers and employees, for the purpose of avoiding strikes, lockouts, boycotts, blacklists, discrimination, and legal proceedings in matters of employment. The commissioner may appoint temporary boards of arbitration, provide for the payment of the necessary expenses of the boards, order reasonable compensation paid to each member engaged in arbitration, prescribe and adopt rules of procedure for arbitration boards, conduct investigations and hearings, publish reports and advertisements, and do all other things convenient and necessary to accomplish the purpose of this chapter. The commissioner may designate an employee of the department to act as chief mediator and may detail other employees, from time to time, to act as the commissioner's assistants for the purpose of executing this chapter. Any employee of the department who may act on a temporary board shall serve without extra compensation.

Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.8. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.22; P.L.8-1993, SEC.269; P.L.6-2012, SEC.149.