Organic Act of the Department of Labor

Organic Act of the Department of Labor

Legislation in the United States, enacted in 1913, that separated the Department of Commerce & Labor into the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor. The Act was controversial at the time because critics contended that the two departments would have similar goals, and argued that having two departments would create unnecessary barriers in bureaucracy. This criticism has been repeated since 1913, most notably during the administration of President Lyndon Johnson, but the Act remains in effect today.