HB 822 Summary

• Creates Mississippi Department of Labor: Establishes a new state department effective January 1, 2018, to coordinate employer-employee services, workforce development, and labor-related functions previously handled by the Department of Employment Security.

• Elected Commissioner position: The Commissioner of Labor becomes an elected statewide office elected every four years beginning in 2018, with a salary of $90,000 annually, replacing the previous appointed Executive Director structure.

• Five administrative offices: The new department consists of the Office of Employment Security, Office of Job Development and Training, Office of Industry Service and Industry Start-up Training, Office of Employee Relations and Job Discrimination, and Office of Disabled Employee Assistance.

• Transfers Employment Security functions: Abolishes the Mississippi Department of Employment Security on January 1, 2018, and transfers all duties, powers, equipment, records, and funds to the new Office of Employment Security within the Department of Labor.

• Comprehensive conforming changes: Amends numerous state statutes across multiple agencies and programs to replace references to "Employment Security Commission" with "Department of Labor" to ensure consistent terminology and authority throughout Mississippi law.