Senate Confirms Keith Sonderling as Labor Secretary

Washington — The Senate confirmed Keith Sonderling as the 31st leader of the Department of Labor in a 47-41 vote on Sept. 30, according to Safety+Health Magazine.

Sonderling had served as acting labor secretary since Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned on April 20. President Donald Trump nominated him for the permanent role in July.

Confirmation Process

Sonderling appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for a confirmation hearing later in July. The committee approved the nomination in a 12-11 party-line vote on July 30.

During the hearing, Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) asked the only question related to workplace safety, focusing on OSHA staffing levels. As of last year, OSHA had 736 inspectors covering 11.6 million worksites, down from 846 in February 2024, according to the DOL Office of the Inspector General.

Kim also asked about OSHA budget cuts under the Trump administration. Sonderling noted that the agency had hired more than 90 new inspectors and directed applicants to USAJobs.gov.

OSHA leader David Keeling stated on Sept. 15 during the Occupational Keynote at the 2026 NSC Safety Congress & Expo that the number of new frontline inspectors had risen to more than 120 since the beginning of May.

Prior Federal Roles

Trump nominated Sonderling for deputy labor secretary in January 2025. The Senate confirmed that nomination in a 53-46 party-line vote in March.

Sonderling served as a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from September 2020 until August 2024. He also held positions as acting administrator and deputy administrator for the DOL Wage and Hour Division.

Pre-Government Experience

Before joining the federal government, Sonderling worked as a labor and employment lawyer in Florida and lectured at the George Washington University Law School, according to Safety+Health Magazine.