On April 20, Lori Chavez-DeRemer abruptly resigned as Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL). Keith Sonderling is now Acting Secretary.

Chavez-DeRemer was embroiled in growing scandal at DOL where she, her husband and a number of her key staffers were under investigation for improper behavior. Many labor insiders believe that as a result Sonderling has been the real behind-the-scenes head of DOL for quite some time. He has served in a number of workplace policy roles and is known to be influential in the Trump White House.

Sonderling’s background includes service on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and particular focus on issues arising from artificial intelligence’s impact on the workplace.

Prospects: It is unclear whether Sonderling will win Trump backing as the nominee to be the next DOL Secretary—or even if he wants the job. (Some folks close to Sonderling say he would prefer to return to the private sector.) Insiders say he is “the steadiest” of the President’s choices, but that he “lacks the cachet” that President Trump often wants in his Cabinet secretaries. “He is really the pivot point of all labor and workforce policy for this administration,” said an anonymous Republican operative close to the Trump Administration.

NAIFA Staff Contact: Jayne Fitzgerald – Director – Government Relations, at jfitzgerald@naifa.org.