At this week's Council of State meeting, Commissioner Luke Farley highlighted his first year in office as North Carolina Labor Commissioner. He noted that the past year has been defined by measurable results, promises kept, and continued momentum at the N.C. Department of Labor. Under his leadership, the department has delivered safer workplaces, stronger worker protections, and smart labor policy that supports continued economic prosperity—representing a win for workers across North Carolina.
First-Year Accomplishments:
- Recovered more than $2.5 million in unpaid wages for North Carolina workers through the Wage & Hour Bureau.
- Complete elimination of the elevator inspection backlog for the first time in NCDOL history.
- Introduced North Carolina’s first-ever Elevator Index, showing 2.36% growth in active devices and a 17.3% increase in elevator inspections.
- Conducted a safe, incident-free State Fair, inspecting 94 amusement devices and logging over 1,500 man-hours with zero ride-related injuries.
- Achieved record-low incident rate in NC’s mining industry, supported by the Mine & Quarry Bureau’s education and consultation efforts.
- Celebrated 90 years of Boiler Safety.
- Ranked #1 state in the nation for business.
- Ranked #2 in the country for workplace safety.
- Cut Consultative Service wait times from 114 days to 30 days.
- Reached a record-low vacancy rate for Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) and agency-wide staffing around 7%, unprecedented for a state government agency — at no additional expense to the taxpayer.
- Implemented strong financial management that allowed NCDOL to weather the Federal Shutdown without furloughing a single compliance officer.
- Launched "Beat the Heat" Campaign and formed the Heat Stress Advisory Council to improve summer workplace safety across the state.
- Increased pay for new and experienced workplace safety inspectors, boosting recruitment and retention.
- Took decisive action against unsafe and illegal operations, including uncovering an illegal mining site in Western NC.
- Partnered with AMES Construction for hurricane recovery to ensure worker safety during Western North Carolina rebuilding efforts.
- Recognized 2,215 employers through 25 Safety Award banquets, presenting 9,842 Gold and Silver Safety Awards.
Looking Ahead:
Commissioner Farley emphasized that these accomplishments are just the beginning, with a focus on continuing to protect workers, strengthen safety, and support good-paying job opportunities for North Carolina workers.
“We’ve kept our promises, delivered real results, and rebuilt the department’s capacity to serve — and we’re only getting started. The best is still ahead for North Carolina workers. Every achievement we’ve made this year is a direct win for workers across our state.”
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