The Montana Department of Labor and Industry promotes the well-being of Montana's workers, employers, and citizens, and upholds their rights and responsibilities. We are committed to being responsive to communities and businesses at the local level. We have a dedicated and professional staff who constantly interact with Montana citizens from across the state to assist them in understanding and applying Montana's labor and discrimination laws.
Enhancing Public Education and Awareness
As Montana's economy grows, and workforce and work places evolve to adapt to expanding technologies, we are working to make certain Montana's labor laws are understood by providing educational forums, local resource rooms, and proactive communications. Assistance to Business Clinics continue to be conducted in communities throughout the state each year; local Job Service Workforce Centers have expanded to house employer resource rooms; and the department web site expands to include additional information each day.
In response to the growing demand for safety training, a Montana Occupational Safety/Health Training Institute has been established to ensure that high-quality educational programs are available statewide. An employer magazine, Main Street Montana, was launched in July 2000 to provide small employers information on employment-related topics and laws. Employers and employees are working hard to build and maintain a positive relationship. We want to provide tools they can use to accomplish this shared goal.
Department Structure
Organized into five divisions, the Department of Labor and Industry provides oversight and regulation of the Montana Workers' Compensation system, enforces state and federal labor standards, enforces state and federal safety and occupational health laws, provides adjudicative services in labor-management disputes, establishes and enforces building industry codes, licenses and regulates professions and occupations, regulates all weighing or measuring devices used in commercial transactions, conducts research, and collects employment statistics that enable strategic planning.
The department operates as part of a national employment, unemployment insurance, and job training system that assists individuals in preparing for and finding work, and helps workers obtain benefits if they are temporarily unemployed through no fault of their own.
The department receives and investigates complaints of discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, education, financial and credit transactions, insurance, and government services. Technical assistance and education are provided to employers, housing providers, and individuals to clarify state and federal discrimination law.